It’s the month of November and we all know what that means. It’s a time to be grateful! I have a lot of blessings in my life, but if I’m being completely honest, this past year I’ve had trouble recognizing them.
It’s easy to get in a rut.. and say “woe is me”. I guess I’ve been given trials that I feel aren’t fair, or wonder why others are given easier ones (or so it appears). In case you’re wondering what “trials” I’m talking about, here they are. My anxiety and depression have pushed me to my limits, causing me physical and emotional pain over the last almost two years now. I’ve struggled with it my whole life, but postpartum things went to a whole new level. I always wonder when this aspect of my life will ease up. My son was born with hearing loss, something I wish I was easier to accept, but still to this day it hurts my heart to think about. There are many trials I face, these are just a few. I don’t share to draw attention to myself, but to help you connect the dots with the rest of my post.
I asked my very intelligent husband a while back some deep questions. Why are some people given trials that are more difficult then others? Why are some people never given the blessings they so deserve? His answer was to go to scripture and talks given by prophets and apostles. Then, pray about it. So there went nothing. I dove right in.
Well actually, I didn’t dive right in. It was handed to me on a silver platter. (A blessing I didn’t realize until later) conference came last month. And there were several talks given that I felt were speaking to me, but two of them in particular. Elder Hallstrom gave a talk titled “Has the day of miracles ceased?” Here’s my favorite parts from the talk...
“Often we describe a miracle as being healed without a full explanation by medical science or as avoiding catastrophic danger by heeding a clear prompting. However, defining a miracle as “a beneficial event brought about through divine power that mortals do not understand” gives an expanded perspective into matters more eternal in nature. This definition also allows us to contemplate the vital role of faith in the receipt of a miracle. A critical question to ponder is “Where do we place our faith?” Is our faith focused on simply wanting to be relieved of pain and suffering, or is it firmly centered on God the Father and His holy plan and in Jesus the Christ and His Atonement? Faith in the Father and the Son allows us to understand and accept Their will as we prepare for eternity. Today I testify of miracles. Being a child of God is a miracle. Receiving a body in His image and likeness is a miracle. The gift of a Savior is a miracle. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is a miracle. The potential for eternal life is a miracle.”
This talk helped me realize it’s time to swallow my pride. It’s time to accept my trials, to embrace them. To ALLOW them to help me grow as a person. I wish I could take my son’s, my family’s, my own afflictions both physical and emotional. And I will continue to pray for them to be taken, but until they do I will do my best to accept them and allow them to help me be better. So grateful for this talk.
The other talk that made a big impact on me was at women’s conference by President Uchtdorf called “three sisters”. The first sister was Sad, the second sister was Mad, and the third sister was Glad.
“The glad sister, Unlike her sad and mad sisters, she was--well, glad. And it wasn’t because she was smarter or more beautiful or more capable than her sisters. No, people sometimes avoided or ignored her too. They sometimes made fun of what she was wearing or the things she was saying. They sometimes said mean things about her. But she did not allow any of that to bother her too much.”
What I took from this talk is despite your circumstances, you CAN be happy. It’s not easy and it takes work- a lot of work. But it’s worth it. Being sad or angry day in and day out will not benefit you in any way, so why not focus on the GOOD?
So, today my heart is full! I have a beautiful little boy, a patient and loving husband, and all the love in the world. I believe you can be more grateful if you change your state of mind. Positive thinking will lead to a positive life. Focus on the GOOD, and you’ll start realizing there’s so much more good then you thought! If you made it to the end of this post, thanks for reading. I’m blessed beyond measure by each and every one of you!
