Adversity

Adversity can build the muscles of each troubled soul.
Without opposition, how can we choose to grow?
We learn through pain and sorrow to have more empathy.
Persecution can turn us to prayer and deeper charity.

A redwood tree grows strong and tall, but it’s roots don’t grow so deep.
Against the wind-tossed storms of life, one lone tree finds little peace.
But as they grow together, as their roots intertwine,
No gale that blows can topple those giant redwood pine.

We choose not to stand alone through our adversity.
We turn unto our loving God and friends and family.
We pray for help and plead for strength that we may overcome,
That through our trial, we may learn true wisdom from God’s Son.

Hate, anger and bitterness cause cankers on ones’ soul.
Repentance, forgiveness and patience help our inner peace to grow.
Adversity can be good or bad, it’s up to us to choose
To grow in understanding, or let Satan light our fuse.

We choose to use adversity to humble us to God,
To strive for help through prayer and hold fast the iron rod.
We gain strength from friends and family as we let our roots entwine.
Together with Christ’s true church, adversity becomes a tool to strengthen each heart and mind.

Real faith is something that I believe takes most of us a lifetime to acquire, if we ever do at all. I find myself in the same spot of struggling with reconciling God’s will for me, and my own plans and desires. I can have faith if I feel that God will grant me my desire, but my heart tells me that isn’t real faith, that’s just expecting God to fill our orders, and that is assuming that we always know best…The video clip in the link below addresses that very problem very well, and challenges me to ask myself, “Does it really matter?”

There is a scripture in Ether 12:27 in the Book of Mormon that is quoted in the video clip. What are some of your thoughts about faith, humility and adversity?

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/topics/adversity?lang=eng&_r=1