Whirlwinds of Adversity

In the rant I didn't share yesterday, I asked myself why life has challenges, and part of the reason, I already knew, is to make us stronger. Trying to pull myself back into the short-lived habit of blogging from General Conference talks, I want to share a quote from Elder Neil L. Andersen's talk, Spiritual Whirlwinds, which spoke on this subject.

In nature, trees that grow up in a windy environment become stronger. As winds whip around a young sapling, forces inside the tree do two things. First, they stimulate the roots to grow faster and spread farther. Second, the forces in the tree start creating cell structures that actually make the trunk and branches thicker and more flexible to the pressure of the wind. These stronger roots and branches protect the tree from winds that are sure to return.

Like those trees, we grow stronger as we face and overcome adversity in all its forms. God's purpose in making life as hard as it is isn't because He enjoys watching us suffer, but because He wants us to grow, and facing tough challenges may be the only way we can do that. Life is hard, not because God doesn't really love us, but because He really loves us.

You are infinitely more precious to God than a tree. You are His son or His daughter. He made your spirit strong and capable of being resilient to the whirlwinds of life. The whirlwinds in your youth, like the wind against a young tree, can increase your spiritual strength, preparing you for the years ahead.

It is because of God's great love for us that He is willing to face short-term hardship, knowing that the results will be, or at least can be, long-term strength. He has the patience and spiritual fortitude to look past our brief pain to the goal of our eternal glory. He knows that the realization of that goal is worth nearly any sacrifice, so according to His wisdom, which I admitted yesterday is greater than mine, it's in my best interest to have a few challenges in my life. Joy. (That "joy" was sarcastic, by the way.)

Adversity isn't a desirable experience, and the scriptures admit that. Hebrews 12:11 reads, "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." In other words, yeah, adversity stinks, but if it helps us be better people, it's worth it. God knows that better than anyone, so He throws at us as much adversity as we can handle, knowing that facing adversity will help us grow to become more like Him.

I don't really enjoy facing challenges, but I don't really enjoy feeling weak, either. Every time I make a decision, I either try to avoid the challenge and endure the weakness or I face the challenge and reduce my weakness. The latter sounds much more noble and rewarding, so it really should be a no-brainer, but facing challenges is, by definition, hard. I guess that's the point. If it wasn't hard to face adversity, then facing adversity wouldn't make us stronger, and there would really be no point to it. I have to face my challenges and gain strength through overcoming them. It's the only way for me, or anyone, to achieve the destiny God has lain out for us - joy. (And I'm not being sarcastic this time.)