When the Prophet Joseph Smith was imprisoned in the Liberty Jail in Missouri in the 1830s, conditions were so bad that he cried out to the Lord, asking Him, essentially, "Why? Why is this happening to me? What have I done to merit this? "
Have we not all asked these questions at different times in our lives? I know I have. And I have not suffered nearly as much as did the Prophet. (A bit of history here: Joseph and Hyrum Smith and a couple of friends were unjustly put in jail. Aside from the cramped space where the men could not stand upright, the horrible food, the cold, they were subjected to the taunts and foul language of the guards who described in intimate detail what they would do to the Mormon women.)
The Lord answered Joseph's questions with words to the effect that He had passed through all things and did the Prophet think himself better than Him. Of course Joseph did not. Eventually Joseph and his companions were released from the jail and joined the body of the Saints in Illinois.
What of the rest of us? When our despair is so great, so intense that we wonder if the Lord has withdrawn His presence from us, we have only to look around and see His magesty. Unfortunately, that's easier said than done. And I must continually remind myself that He has not withdrawn. If anyone has, it's me.
So, for today, I am grateful for those times when I can remember that the Lord's presence is alway there if I but have eyes to look.
The "art thou greater than he" question has served me very well as a reality check. In reality, my life is easy and comfortable, yet I find myself complaining so very often. This question helps me refocus on eternity.
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