We all go through them. Trials are the way of life. Maybe someone died. Maybe you lost your job. Maybe you suffered a breakup with a significant other. Maybe that person doesn't want to be your significant other. Maybe it's a health issue. Maybe its poverty. It might possibly be the trial of abundance!
Whatever it is, we all go through trials. We don't really know what each person goes through - people are very good at hiding on the surface what is haunting them inside. We tend to fault other people because of their trials. We generally refuse to believe that we are in our own trials.
A lot of the time, we also don't see the end of a trial. We think that whatever it is that is bothering us, we are in it for life. I remember the first time I was in my mission field in Tennessee. I had been a missionary for about 3 weeks. I was driving with my missionary trainer, and I was just staring out the window wondering how in the world I was going to make it for 2 years as a missionary. 2 years seemed like my entire life.
I like to look at it this way. A lot of music player apps such as itunes or Windows Media Player have a little toolbar that goes from one end to the other when playing music. Look at the diagram below.
We can see the little music thing is going from the beginning to the end, without any trouble. This is like our trials. Now look at how it compares.
As we can see - there is a beginning and an end to all trials. We're in a moving time when we will see the blessings if we endure and do what we know to be right. How do we endure? By keeping the commandments, even when it seems most difficult to. Accepting the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Reading the scriptures. Praying. Going to church. Doing the little things that we know will invite the Spirit. Most of all - believing on the name of Jesus Christ to help us through our trials.
At the end of trials, we know that there are blessings. Those blessings can be all types of things. Knowledge, comfort, temporal benefits, etc. Who knows - it is different for each type of situation. But the prophet Moroni promised us:
"And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith."
The trial of your faith is what you are currently in - and the Lord will give you many blessings if you endure well. We go through trials so we can learn and grow, and those are also blessings we receive. If you are having doubts or troubles, just remember that you can always pray to our Heavenly Father, and He will send you the aid and help you need to endure well.
So endure to the end. It is so worth it.
