Sometimes you feel like you're doing everything right in life. And in those moments the unfair events in life seem like a sign that maybe you aren't doing everything right after all. With a limited perspective, this conclusion can feel so justifiable; it takes an elevated view, obtained through faith that you actually have been doing the right thing, that enables you to see the unfair events for what they really are: a divinely apportioned opportunity.
Paul said, "I...glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong" (2 Cor. 12:9 – 10). Paul said this because he could see from an elevated view that God had a greater purpose in apportioning the righteous their sufferings.
Most of the time, the attainment of this higher ground is a drawn out process. Many people suffer for years without being given the reason for their afflictions (see John 9:1 – 3). Paul again said:
"Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor. 12:7 – 9, emphasis added).
In this case, Paul worked through some ailment without relief despite asking multiple times for the Lord to take it away. At some point it was revealed to Paul that the purpose was to keep him humble in the face of his numerous revelations and visions from God. Without faith that he was doing that which was pleasing to God in his life, in other words without obtaining the high ground through faith, Paul could have believed that his afflictions were a sign of divine disfavor.
This emphasizes to each of us the importance of living worthy of the Holy Ghost from hour to hour, that we might know the course we are pursuing is pleasing to God come what may.
An anecdote from my own life:
I felt like I was doing everything right in life. Many wonderful things seemed to be going my way from the perspective of a newly married college student. Then out of no where I was pulled over one day and ticketed for having invalid insurance.
"What!" I thought to myself, "I have no way to pay for this! Why did this have to happen to me?"
I drove the rest of the way home livid. Anger seemed to be the only emotion I was capable of feeling. My wife and I got in the door and we both steamed over the incident and the circumstances that led to it.
All of a sudden I felt a phrase break through the clouds in mind: "This spirit of anger is not your spirit." This prompted me to choose to believe that God was in this (see D&C 59:21).
Almost as if literally being carried to higher vantage point, I could suddenly "see" God's purposes in this incident. I understood that he wanted us to have proper car insurance. I saw that he knew what we didn't know in trying to protect ourselves in the modern world. And I could see that everything would work out (especially financially).
That event was hardly a thorn or a difficult trial, but the experience of being lifted to an elevated view would impact every future period of tribulation that would come in my life. This I now know: when trials come to define your life despite your daily walk with God, it is God who has merely come to your life to help refine your soul.
"All these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good" (D&C 122:7).
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