Drawing closer to God through life experience

By: Justin Hansen

As has been taught in the LDS faith since it's inception, we have a few reasons for being on this earth. One, of course is to gain a physical body. Another, and one that is focused on a whole lot is that of being tried proved, tested, etc. We see our trials as necessary, inevitable, often we get the idea they are unpleasant and cumbersome. We often groan under their weight, even throwing in Laman and Lemuel type complaining on occasion. For those of you unfamiliar with these two, they were probably some of the toughest nuts to crack in the Book of Mormon. Nothing their dad or younger brother, (who always tried to walk in the path of righteousness) did was right, or else the two wanted to do the opposite. We as God's Children often see things as a glass half empty. It sometimes takes a bit to get us to see differently. There could b any number of avenues toward humility and full submission to The Lord's will, depending on each person’s life circumstances.
An example or two from my own life: I was born with a crippled right arm, which not only leaves that impairment, but also causes some coordination and spatial issues as well. I have dealt with it in life, learning to adapt as needed. There have been great blessings come from it, and I have grown a lot. That is not to say I have not done my share of grumbling and questioning. I have been able to grow a lot in this way, as my full fury that could at times be seen has subsided with age and experience to what I call "Why me anger moments." These last in length from 4 seconds to maybe 20 minutes (give or take). We recently purchased a home, and I quickly learned I can't just call maintenance anymore to fix things, thankfully I have friends, Home Teachers, and Parents (who come on occasion from out of state) to help me with the physical things. I have learned through these things that when we ask for help we are blessed, not only by showing our humility but also by giving others the chance to serve. I still struggle a great deal with having to ask for help, but I keep in mind that there s a greater purpose behind my struggles, and involving others in that process.
Another example: Just this week, I found out thee as been some confusion that could delay my finishing Graduate school. I am sill uncertain what the final outcome will be, but the wait has been intense, the struggle great for a few reasons. But, with the support of friends, and most importantly God, I have come to feel the marvelous peace of the Spirit that comes when we draw closer to Him, ask for help, make a greater effort to live how he would like us to, and go forward with faith. I also realized, and it has been a motto of my Father's and mine since he battled caner that most things are not a matter of life and death, a fact brought forcibly to my attention when my wife was sent to the ER for some tests this week. She is ding fine, but the fact she was having some scary symptoms and was headed to a hospital late at night were enough to help me realize my 3 month or so delay and a bit of extra work in school was no a big deal. The Sprit whispered comfort to us both, and The Power of the Priesthood was magnified, helping all involved.
I share these things to help show that through any trial, we can and often will feel the wonderful influence of The Spirit, and feel the love of our Savior as we seek it. May we always look to learn from our adversities and our triumphs, and always do our best to draw closer to God through the experiences we have in life, good, bad, ugly, or blissful.