Today I'm grateful for....

Today I'm grateful for little reminders that come sometimes when you least expect them to.

I don't pretend to know or understand the pain and suffering that people all around are dealing with. I do know that everyone has their own unique set of struggles and challenges and that no one is exempt from trials or suffering in this life. I also know that there are no easy answers or solutions to dealing with life's struggles.

This morning during breakfast I was reading to our family from the Book of Mormon. We are in Alma chapter 7. Today we read and talked about some of my most favorite passages of scripture. In Alma 7:11-12 Alma is teaching the people about Jesus Christ and the atonement.

11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

On my mission the message of these verses really hit home. I had always thought of the atonement as the means by which we are forgiven of our sins and able to again be worthy before the Lord to enter into His presence. I had never considered that the atonement was also for those that suffered pain and affliction and even infirmities. This opened a whole new perspective of the love that our Father in Heaven has for us. Jesus Christ suffered not only for our sins, but He suffered that when we suffer pains and afflictions in our lives He might comfort us. He knows how we feel and He knows how to help us feel better.

Trying to explain this concept to my young children, who thankfully have not had to experience much pain and suffering in this life, was difficult. I hope that they understood that both Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love us so much and that we can turn to Them to help us through any pain, suffering, sorrow or affliction that we might be dealing with. From the pain of a terminally ill patient to the pain of a broken arm, Christ has suffered it all. From the pain of divorce to the pain of watching a family member make inappropriate choices, He has felt our pain and can "succor his people". This is a comfort to me.

A couple of years ago for our book club we read, "The Peacegiver: How Christ Offers to Heal our Hearts and Homes". This book again opened my eyes to the miraculous healing powers of the atonement. I could write a whole post on just this book alone. Suffice it to say, reading this book was life changing for me. I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone. I try to re-read it often to help keep fresh in my mind it's message.

Our current book club book is, "21 Days Closer to Christ". I am on day 5. I love this book and am grateful for it's message. There is a chapter for each of the 21 days. In each chapter it shares a message about Jesus Christ and invites us to come unto Christ in a specific way. Each chapter also introduces a different name by which the Savior is known. Yesterday I read about Jesus Christ as our healer. The chapter talked about the story from the New Testament when Jesus healed Jarius' daughter and the lessons learned from that experience. At the end of the chapter the author shares her experience of her son being diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 3 and the subsequent ups and downs and difficulties in dealing with this disease. She says that she has spent countless hours pleading with the Lord that this burden would be lifted or made easier to bear. Over the course of 11 years since his diagnosis she says that they have felt the Savior strengthening them. At one point they participated in a research study and were asked to take a self-evaluation test. One of the questions asked if they were given the opportunity to not have this trial in their lives, recognizing that they would also have to give up any learning or understanding that has come through this particular trial, would they give it up. The author says that she thought seriously about this question and pondered on all that they had learned from their experience and the relationship that she had gained with Jesus Christ as He had lifted them through their suffering. She had truly come to know the Lord through this experience. She answered that no she would not give it up, though difficult, what they had gained was too precious.

I appreciate her insight that it is through these times of trial and suffering that we can be brought closer to Jesus Christ. Though I don't think any of us would ask for these sort of experiences to help us grow, I am grateful for the times when I have had to stretch and go where I didn't think I could go. I know I am a better person for having gone through them.