This Too Shall Pass

There's a time in our life when we have to accept what life will bring us and grow from it. I know there's a choice to not accept it, but that always leads to unhappiness and that unhappiness can spread like a disease to others. So the best thing to do is accept it. To accept fate, to accept what life has given you. But that's actually the hardest part. It would be easy to be bitter and upset at what trials you have to go through. But where's the challenge in taking the easy road?

The biggest and hardest step is acceptance that you can't change it. That life is going to be the way it is and there's nothing you can do. That's where I have the hard time. I don't like there being situations that I can't fix and make better immediatly. I read a quote that stated, "Accept fate and move on. Don't yield to the suductive pull of self-pity. Acting like the victim threatens your future." Self-pity is always the easy thing. I often times sit and cry to myself asking, "why me?" Why is this happening to us right now? Haven't we been through enough?" Things have happened in our life that just seem to pile one on top of the other until we think we'll burst if more occurs, then more happens.

When you've reached that low point in life, what do you do? Where do you go to? If you're like me, that's when the pride steps in. "I can't ask for help. I ask for too much from others. There are other people struggling, I can't ask for help." This is the moment that you have to kick yourself in the pants. Joseph B. Wirthlin, apostle of the LDS Church, stated, "Because Jesus Christ suffered greatly, He understands our suffering. He understands our grief...sometimes the very moments that seem to overcome us with suffering are those that ultimately suffer us to overcome." President Thomas S. Monson, Prophet of the LDS Church, stated, "At times some may think that no one cares-but someone always cares! Your Heavenly Father will not leave you to stuggle alone, but stands ever ready to help."

I needed the kick in the pants to remind myself of my beliefs and the love that Heavenly Father has for me and my family. Heavenly Father will never give us more than we can handle. If we feel that we are going to burst from trials and problems, that's when we need to remember that God thinks really highly of us. He gives his loving and special children the hard trials because he knows they will succeed. He will put others into our path to help us through it if we can't do it alone.

Dallin H. Oaks, another apostle of the LDS Church, put it wonderfully, "At times we may despair that our burdens are too great. When it seems that a tempest is raging in our lives, we may feel abandoned and cry out like the disciples in the storm, 'Master, carest thou that we perish?' (Mark 4:38). At such times we should remember His reply: "Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?' (v. 40). The healing power of the Lord Jesus Christ-whether it removes our burdens or strengthens us to endure and live with them like the Apostle Paul-is available for every affliction in mortality."

Heavenly Father is the only one who knows what the outcome of my life will be. I can't control it anymore than I can control the sea. I've come to accept the trials that have been given to me. I might cry and complain still since they will be hard, I'm only human. But I will continue to remind myself that I am loved and will endure to the end. This too shall pass.