"Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days.
And in temporal labors thou shalt not have strength, for this is not thy calling. Attend to thy calling and thou shalt have wherewith to magnify thine office, and to expound all scriptures, and continue in laying on of the hands and confirming the churches."
Doctrine and Covenants 24:8-9
This is part of a revelation given to Joseph Smith the prophet. I think it is good for us to see that prophets have problems too, because sometimes when we read about them or listen to them in conference they can seem bulletproof, like superhero aliens that we could never aspire to be. :) The fact that God promises them afflictions, and asks them to be patient as well, helps us to understand that we are all in this together. God wants us to know the truth just as much as he does them, and we can have a close relationship with God just like they have, if we work at it.
It is interesting in the second verse of the selection where God tells Joseph specifically one area where he isn't going to have strength because it isn't his calling. I think that helps us to understand that we are all unique... we aren't little cookie-cutter saints, all expected to be the same or to do the same work for God. He grants us the strengths and the weakness and the trials and the blessings that we each need to fulfil our callings as individuals. Sometimes that means (as perhaps it did for Joseph Smith) that we can't have everything or be strong in every area, at least in this life. Maybe some of the things that we wanted to do or a direction we wanted to go gets closed off. When that happens, instead of blaming God for destroying our dreams, maybe we should look a little closer and see that God is always preparing us for something better. Let's learn to stick with God and dream a little larger, to listen a little more, and to follow wherever God leads us. As we do, he will light our way and bless our efforts. In the end, following God will never be a disappointment or feel like settling for less. God's conclusion will end up being gloriously better than any happy ending we could ever have imagined for ourselves.
And in temporal labors thou shalt not have strength, for this is not thy calling. Attend to thy calling and thou shalt have wherewith to magnify thine office, and to expound all scriptures, and continue in laying on of the hands and confirming the churches."
Doctrine and Covenants 24:8-9
This is part of a revelation given to Joseph Smith the prophet. I think it is good for us to see that prophets have problems too, because sometimes when we read about them or listen to them in conference they can seem bulletproof, like superhero aliens that we could never aspire to be. :) The fact that God promises them afflictions, and asks them to be patient as well, helps us to understand that we are all in this together. God wants us to know the truth just as much as he does them, and we can have a close relationship with God just like they have, if we work at it.
It is interesting in the second verse of the selection where God tells Joseph specifically one area where he isn't going to have strength because it isn't his calling. I think that helps us to understand that we are all unique... we aren't little cookie-cutter saints, all expected to be the same or to do the same work for God. He grants us the strengths and the weakness and the trials and the blessings that we each need to fulfil our callings as individuals. Sometimes that means (as perhaps it did for Joseph Smith) that we can't have everything or be strong in every area, at least in this life. Maybe some of the things that we wanted to do or a direction we wanted to go gets closed off. When that happens, instead of blaming God for destroying our dreams, maybe we should look a little closer and see that God is always preparing us for something better. Let's learn to stick with God and dream a little larger, to listen a little more, and to follow wherever God leads us. As we do, he will light our way and bless our efforts. In the end, following God will never be a disappointment or feel like settling for less. God's conclusion will end up being gloriously better than any happy ending we could ever have imagined for ourselves.
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