Monday Reflection: House Upon a Rock

I don't know what is going on but it just seems like so many people I know or people I know who they know, etc....are having traumatic things occurr in their lives. Maybe it's because we had something traumatic happen to us and so we are more aware of things like this around us...I don't know, but it just seems like there are some heavy duty trials occurring for so many people.  I have met (through the internet) at least 3 people whose spouse has had a brain injury, a young girl of 16 who was in a serious accident who suffers from traumatic brain injury, a friend of mine whose nephew fell from a slide head first who has been in a coma and is in the hospital, a couple who just found out a couple of weeks ago that their 4 yr old son has a brain tumor and the very worst is expected for him, a guy from therapy who suffered spinal cord injury from a cough and was paralyzed from the neck down....  It's just all around.  I don't know if these things are occurring more or if it's just because I'm more aware of things like this because of what we have experienced.   

I know that this life is a test.  I know it's not supposed to be easy, but why does it have to be so hard sometimes?  Everyone will have to face challenges in this life.  All difficult.  No one will be spared heartache and pain and adversity.  I'm reminded of the scripture that talks about the wise man and the foolish man.  The wise man built his house upon the Rock.  The foolish man built his house upon the sand.   When the storms came the foolish man's house washed away and the wise man's house stood firm.  We all will face storms in our lives.  They will shake us to the core.  Our houses must be built on the Rock, our Savior, if we are to withstand these storms or trials.   We must gain a testimony of our Savior and His gospel now, because the trials will come and if we are not firm in our faith...we will fall. 

I think back to those first few days and weeks with Kary's stroke.  I was hit hard with this trial.  I was shaken to the core.   Every belief that I had in God and the gospel of Jesus Christ was questioned.  Was everything I believed really true?  Does God really exist?  Does he hear my prayers?  Will the priesthood blessings Kary recieved really come to pass?  The storm was rocking me.  Amidst the storm and all the questioning of my beliefs there was a calm and a peace that came to me and reminded me of all the witnesses I had been given in my life that God does exist, that He knows me, that He loves me, that He answers prayers, that the Priesthood works,   that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is real and true.  I knew it was going to be a long hard road, but the Holy Ghost was there to remind me that all those things I believed were indeed true and that I just needed to have faith, do my part, and that He would help us through.

The moments when we are struggling the most is also when Satan tries his hardest to get us to doubt our Father in Heaven and the love of our Savior which is why it's so important for us to have a foundation in Christ, our Rock.

Again, just grateful for my knowledge of my God and my Savior who help us every day to overcome our daily trials;  who give us the strength to carry on when the future is uncertain;  who give us hope and a promise of something better if we endure and stay true and faithful.