Facing Trials as a Family
Our family will never forget the December of 2009 when my husband unexpectedly lost his job. Our children were 3, 8, 13 and 17. Suddenly, our focus shifted from making our children's Christmas wishes come true to how we would be feeding and sheltering them. Although the 5 months of unemployment followed by 13 months of underemployment as he trained for his new position were a challenge, our family grew in our faith and our dependence on one another. We were more aware of the Lord's hand in our lives, and recognized the countless tender mercies that He bestowed upon us. One of the many experiences I will never forget was shortly after my husband was laid off. My daughter was invited to participate in a neighborhood ballet class taught by a young girl on our street. All of her little friends were going to be in the class, and the cost of the classes was minimal. She desperately wanted to participate. The problem was that they were asked to buy ballet shoes, and a ballet leotard for the class. It was impossible for me to justify spending money on those items when Jason had no job. Days before the first class, a friend brought over some clothes that her daughter had outgrown. Inside the bag was a perfect pair of ballet slippers and several leotards. Some may think that this was just a lucky coincidence, but for me it was confirmation that the Lord is in the details of our lives, and He was very aware of our situation.
President James E. Faust gave a talk entitled "The Refiners Fire". This quote from that talk has brought me comfort and given me strength as I face my own trials:
"Into every life there come the painful, despairing days of adversity and buffeting. There seems to be a full measure of anguish, sorrow, and often heartbreak for everyone, including those who earnestly seek to do right and be faithful. The thorns that prick, that stick in the flesh, that hurt, often change lives which seem robbed of significance and hope. This change comes about through a refining process which often seems cruel and hard. In this way the soul can become like soft clay in the hands of the Master in building lives of faith, usefulness, beauty, and strength. For some, the refiner’s fire causes a loss of belief and faith in God, but those with eternal perspective understand that such refining is part of the perfection process."
I hope that I will always be able to maintain an eternal perspective through whatever I am asked to endure throughout my life. In our families, we can use our trials to help us develop more compassion for each other. We can depend more on each other. We can more fully recognize the love we have for each other, and the love that our Heavenly Father has for us.
President James E. Faust gave a talk entitled "The Refiners Fire". This quote from that talk has brought me comfort and given me strength as I face my own trials:
"Into every life there come the painful, despairing days of adversity and buffeting. There seems to be a full measure of anguish, sorrow, and often heartbreak for everyone, including those who earnestly seek to do right and be faithful. The thorns that prick, that stick in the flesh, that hurt, often change lives which seem robbed of significance and hope. This change comes about through a refining process which often seems cruel and hard. In this way the soul can become like soft clay in the hands of the Master in building lives of faith, usefulness, beauty, and strength. For some, the refiner’s fire causes a loss of belief and faith in God, but those with eternal perspective understand that such refining is part of the perfection process."
I hope that I will always be able to maintain an eternal perspective through whatever I am asked to endure throughout my life. In our families, we can use our trials to help us develop more compassion for each other. We can depend more on each other. We can more fully recognize the love we have for each other, and the love that our Heavenly Father has for us.
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