In this life there are so many tragedies, drama, and trauma. It would be easy to assume that if God existed and loved us, life would be peaceful, carefree, and easy. I feel like God gets blamed for things that happen to us and the world around us. To me the tragedies in life don’t manifest that we aren’t loved, but instead that this life is fragile. Our weak, diseased, and mortal bodies are made so that we will one day return with Heavenly Father. This life is set up so that we get the opportunity to choose, and none of us, save Jesus Christ chooses perfectly all of the time. Because we are flawed, we cause things to happen, good and bad, and nature also takes its course, very simply put. None of us are exempt from the suffering this life offers. None of us gets everything we want. Could you imagine how spoiled we would be if every time we wanted something we threw a temper tantrum and God gave us what we wanted. I think it is easy to hinge our belief in God on one point, one desire, and if that doesn’t happen then that means God doesn’t exist, or He doesn’t love me. It is easy to try and bargain with Heavenly Father to try and get what you want, to see that one desire fulfilled.
In our most desperate times, I know Peter and I tried to figure out what more we could give Heavenly Father so that Archer could be healed. We asked the advice of one of our leaders and were told that we had every covenant already in place, God was bound by us being obedient, but that didn’t mean that God was bound to answer our prayers how we wanted Him to. It didn’t mean we, or Archer, were loved less, just that what our plan was didn’t correlate with Heavenly Father’s plan.
When Christ was in Gethsemane he prayed “O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done (Matt 26:42).” He asked for it not to happen to him, but willingly submitted His will to Heavenly Father’s. Christ, who God calls “My Beloved Son,” had to drink the most bitter cup, because Heavenly Father loves us. He helped Christ through the atonement, allowing Him to experience everything necessary to make it possible for all of us to also return to live with Him some day.
God shows his love through the help He gives us, whether that is through other people, revelation, miracles, finding peace through the hard times, lightening our burdens/helping us have the strength to bear our load. None of us escapes drinking from some bitter cup during our lives, though they are a thimble size in comparison to the trough that Christ had to drink. The way that Heavenly Father shows He loves us is by helping us through these difficult times.
I have witnessed time and again good people helping others to bear their burdens, some burdens are carried throughout our lives, and are a very heavy weight. I have felt impressions to check in on someone, because they needed to know they are loved. I have felt peace given through the spirit. I feel Heavenly Father’s love in the small and simple things that help to lighten our load; finding something funny that brightens my day, feeling the prayers of support surround us. I can testify to you that God loves you.
Your bitter cup, the burden that you are constantly shouldering, isn’t there because Heavenly Father loves you less than someone else. It is there because that is how the plan of salvation works. For us to be brought back to live in our Heavenly Father’s presence we must choose what we want most in our lives. When we are heavy laden, with limited energy, it takes great effort to turn to Him, but that is what He wants most. It is at those times that His love can be made manifest, and He will let you know how loved you are. If you doubt that love, just ask, ask Heavenly Father if He loves you. I know that He will answer, for God is love.
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