Continuing from The Fellowship of His Sufferings II, Neal A. Maxwell wrote in his book ‘All These Things Shall Give Thee Experience’:
“A good friend, who knows whereof he speaks, has observed of trials, “If it’s fair it’s not a true trial!” That is, without the added presence of some inexplicableness and some irony and injustice, the experience may not stretch us or lift us sufficiently. The crucifixion of Christ was clearly the greatest injustice in human history, but the Savior bore up under it with majesty and indescribable valor.
Paul indicated that “there was given to me a thorn in the flesh.” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9. Italics added.) Use of the word given suggests that Paul knew where from his affliction came. Further, as it must be with anyone who seeks sainthood, Paul had to be “willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him.” (Mosiah 3:19.)
There may be those who choose to debate the significance of whether or not an omnipotent God gives us a particular trial or simply declines to remove it. The outcome is obviously the same in either way; God is willing for us to undergo that challenge. Yet he promises us that His grace is sufficient for us. (2 Corinthians 12:9: Ether 12:26-27.) He even indicates that some of the weaknesses and infirmities given to us actually become a strength to us. It is in our weakness and extremity that God’s power is fully felt. Only when, of ourselves, we are helpless is His Help truly appreciated.
Parenthetically, Those who worry if they currently seem to be untested should not feel guilty or anxious, nor should they pray for trials. First of all the absence of major tribulation can, ironically, produce the trial of tranquility with its very great risks of careless ease. Second, the Lord does require a few intact individuals and families to help others manage their trials and tribulations, even though these roles often rotate. . .Third, life is not over yet, and there can be, as we have all seen, a tremendous compression of trials. Finally the absence of type I trials, those arising out of our own sins and mistakes, is obviously never to be regretted.
In further illustration of the third category of trial, the tribulation and suffering of the righteous, we need only to look at the Lord Himself. Paul, speaking of Jesus, said that an innocent Jesus learned “obedience by the things which he suffered.” (Hebrews 5:8)
For the final entry in this series of posts, click. . . ‘The Fellowship of His Sufferings IV
