jameswhofheins

Hope

Many times in our grief, pain and trials, we hear others say, "I know
just how you feel". Though usually given as a well-intended
statement of solidarity, we often recoil and automatically think,
"You can't possibly know how I feel!"

Such is the nature of mortal suffering. While some suffering - grief,
depression, anxiety, for example - are universal, they are, at the
same time individual. I mourn my way and you mourn in a completely
different way. My trials are just different enough from yours as to
not comprehend all the factors that make your suffering as difficult as
it is.

Does anybody really know how it feels to go through what you're going
through? Can anyone really comprehend exactly, completely and fully
your pain? Is there anyone who knows what it feels to be lonely,
rejected, ugly or unintelligent?

There is One who has already suffered exactly what you are suffering.

Speaking of the Savior who would come into the world, the Old Testament
prophet Isaiah testified:

"He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him there is
no beauty that we should desire him.

"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted
with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised,
and we esteemed him not.

"Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did
esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our
iniquities; the chasti*****t of our peace was upon him; and with his
stripes we are healed." (Mosiah 14:2-5)

There is One who has been where we are, felt what we feel, thought what
we think. He has been tempted far beyond what we could withstand. He
has been sicker than we could survive. He has felt the bleakness of
being left alone by the Father, crying out to Him, asking why He had
been forsaken (see Matt 27:46)

Now obviously, knowing the Savior has been through what we are going
through doesn't make all of our pains and tribulations magically melt
away. We have never been promised immediate relief in all cases, for
if we were, there would be no way to learn and grow from our pain. All
our learning would be "book learning" rather than hands-on
experience.

But knowing He is there and has suffered for us can give us hope. It
can give us hope of deliverance, if not now, then perhaps "on the
morrow" (Mosiah 24:16)

We know the first four principles and ordinances of the gospel are,
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism by immersion for
the remission of sins, and the laying on of hands for the gift of the
Holy Ghost (A of F 1:4), but sometimes we forget one other very
important admonition. We forget that we have also been commanded to
endure to the end (see 3 Nephi 15:9)

This life is not easy. There is much suffering, grief and pain. One
of our very most difficult challenges can be to see through the mists
of darkness that enshroud us and find even a glimmer of hope.

I testify that you have not been left alone or abandoned by Christ or
by your Father in Heaven. They are there, watching over you and
blessing you in ways you may not understand right now. Christ felt
what you are feeling now - right this moment. He can help you
through your pain and sorrow, if you will but allow Him.

There is hope.

There is deliverance.

There is One who has been through it all. One who is waiting to
envelop you in His loving Embrace.

Embraced by Christ © 2006 James Hofheins - For more information,
please email jameswhofheins@yahoo.com Or call (801) 835-9715