"...we glory in tribulations..."

In the epistle of Paul to the Romans, chapter 5 verses 3 to 5, we read: 

"3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

Since a young age I have been taught that tribulations are blessings, that we should be thanking Heavenly Father for them, and that we need them to learn and grow. I believe that is true. But I also believe that that is easier said than done. It is especially hard to “glory in tribulation” right in the middle of our suffering.

As I try to follow the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ, that are things I can do that I find helpful as we strive to be thankful for our challenges in life.

First, I believe that as we pray often and study the scriptures daily, we will invite the company of the Holy Ghost into our days, and that will not only helps us make good decisions, including the ones involving our feelings towards hard time, but it will also bring us peace and understanding.

Second, we need to make a habit of counting our blessings. As we go about our days, driving places, working, showering, etc, we can make a mental list of the things we are thankful for. I would even encourage you to write down those blessings you are thinking about. Anyway you choose to do it, it will help you recognize the Lord’s hand in your life.

And lastly, we should develop and nurture a positive attitude towards the experiences we have in life. Being positive helps us see the problem in a better perspective. We could even ask ourselves, “What can I learn from this?” 

I know that we came to this earth to learn and grow, and that our trials are simply tools that will help us become better. I am thankful for the sacrifice Christ has made for all of us. We can go to Him to find comfort. Elder Henry B. Eyring said, “We have the gospel of Jesus Christ shape and guide our lives if we choose it. We never need to feel that we are alone or unloved in the Lord's service because we never are. We can feel the love of God. The Savior has promised angels are on our left and on our right to bear us up, and He always keeps His word.”

I invite you this watch this video that teaches us that “Finding faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will help us have the power to endure and overcome challenges in life.”

Images and video found on lds.org