Temporal Losses, Eternal Gains

Elder Gerrit W. Gong spoke of a family who, because of their religion, were having trouble making positive connections in their neighborhood. "One night," Elder Gong said, "the family felt their prayers were answered, though in a very unexpected way. Their house caught fire and burned to the ground. But something else happened. The fire softened their neighbors’ hearts." Elder Gong went on to say that blessings are often manifest in trials.

Truly, for those with faithful hearts and eyes to see, the Lord’s tender mercies are manifest amidst life’s challenges. Faithfully met challenges and sacrifice do bring the blessings of heaven. In this mortality, we may lose or wait for some things for a time, but in the end we will find what matters most. That is His promise.

I'm grateful to know that God always gives us something better than what He takes from us. The losses are temporal; the gains are eternal. Thanks to that family's housefire, they were able to make deep and lasting connections to their neighbors, blessing both the family and their neighbors. Was losing their house worth it? It's hard to say, but I can say this: God is always more than fair with His children. If He asks us to give up anything, it's only ever so He can offer us something greater. So, when we face trials and challenges, we should look for the blessings that God is trying to offer us and perhaps console ourselves with the knowledge that God's eternal blessings are worth far more than that which is temporally lost.