No pain, No gain

As we look at the world today it is easy to look and see the glass half empty. All over the world the storms of tragedy pass through leaving disaster and destruction behind them. Not only do we have the cares and calamities of the world to focus on, we also have our own person trials. It sometimes seems that our sufferings have surrounded us and we have no other option but to put up our arms and surrender to it. The picture I just painted is bleak but it is realistic; tribulation is no respecter of persons. At some point in our lives we will all experience hard times. The only element you can control is how you deal with those trials. Will you suffer at it alone or will you choose to let the Savior comfort and help you along your way? Christ has suffered all things and truly knows exactly what you are going through because he has experienced it firsthand. When we take our afflictions to our Savior and let our grief be swallowed up in Him we can look at trials with a eternal perspective. We will realize that once we get through the pain we will come out stronger. Just as my family likes to say," no pain no gain." In all seriousness though, just like a muscle cannot become stronger without strenuous exercise, we as people cannot truly progress without opposition. Just as Jesus Christ said to his frightened Apostles being tossed upon the sea in (Matthew 9:2) and to the paralytic man lying helpless in (Matthew 14:27), " Be of good cheer." This simple message from Christ hits home for me personally. I know that at times I let my fears and challenges consume me, when I should really be using my experiences to grow closer to God and become a better person in the end. I must learn to have joy in good times and in bad times. Trials remind me of my third year at girls camp when we hiked Mount McLoughlin. As we reached our final destination and looked out upon the vast Oregon landscape that was being painted gold by the setting sun, we all knew that the fatiguing journey to the top was worth that ethereal view. -Taylor McCartney-