"Thorn in the flesh"

Why does God allow suffering?

Personally, I have asked God this question many times myself. I would like to share a personal story of an experience I went through, hoping it may help you learn how to deal with trials you are currently going through. There are a couple of illnesses that I've been struggling with ever since senior year of high school. I have some liver and small intestine complications. It's an autoimmune (see link for definition of autoimmune disease) disorder in both organs. One of the illnesses is known as celiac disease.(see link for information on celiac)

The process for being diagnosed, finding the right medication and the correct dosage was quite the stressful process. During this time I went through a lot of physical and emotional pain. Dragging myself from doctor to doctor hoping for a cure. Never knowing if I could be "physically able" to eat gluten again. Not having answers to my questions killed my motivation and self confidence. Could I find the right medication? Will I be able to have a normal diet, or life? I did not know where to turn. I had hit a low point in my life. After realizing that God was the only thing holding me together, I began to study the scriptures more diligently, searching for the answer to my question.

Why does God allow suffering? I was reading in 2 Corinthians chapter 12 and received an answer to my prayers. The apostle Paul asked Jesus three times that a "thorn in the flesh" might depart from him. Jesus answers Paul in verse 9 and says,

"My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness."

Jesus's answer helps Paul realize at the end of the verse,

"Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

The Holy Ghost entered into my heart as I read and taught me that I may never be fully healed from my "thorn in the flesh", but if I have faith in Christ and rely on His Atonement He would give me the strength to endure my infirmities. Enduring with faith in Christ is what gave me strength to go on. 

So again the question, Why does God allow us to suffer? 

So we can learn to rely on the Savior, which enables us to grow spiritually and physically.  I realized if I exercise faith in Christ He could bless me with the ability to perform admirably with my mortal infirmities. I found a better doctor and he was able to get me on correct medication so I could live a normal life. I was able to do the sports and activities I loved once again. My prayers were answered. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second counselor in the First Presidency, tells us how to access the Atonement. He says,

"Having faith in Jesus Christ and in His Atonement means relying completely on Him-trusting in His infinite power, intelligence, and love. When we have faith in Christ, we trust the Lord enough to follow His commandments even when we do not completely understand the reason for them. In seeking to become more like the savior, we need to rely, through the path of true repentance, upon the merits of Jesus Christ and the blessings of His Atonement."

I was given infirmities so that I may learn to rely on the Savior's atonement and through the atonement I can grow spiritually. How great will be your reward in the eternities if you learn this doctrine in this life? This blessing is available to all people.

During my experience exercising faith in Jesus Christ, I have come to know that the Savior's atonement is real. We all must go through pain and affliction in this life on earth so we can grow.  I'm not telling you this story just to make you feel sorry for me. I'm only writing this article so that others can understand that there is always hope through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Through the power of the Atonement we can overcome whatever trial that entangles us. I invite you to exercising faith in Christ and be obedient to God's commandments. If you do so you'll access the incredible healing powers of the atonement that Christ has made possible for you.

Please watch and be uplifted by President Eyring's words.

MORMON MESSAGES:

Mountains to Climb

"Have ye inquired of the Lord?"

To advance spirituality and temporally we need to inquire of the Lord. Pray! There is a great example of how we need to inquire of the Lord in The Book of Mormon. (1 Nephi 15)  Nephi's brothers were gathered around talking with one another about their fathers vision. Nephi's older brother's didn't understand what their father had taught them concerning the gathering of Israel. Nephi walks up to them while their talking and says, "Have ye inquired of the Lord?" (see 1 Nephi 15:7) In order for Nephi's brothers to progress in understanding they needed to ask God in prayer. "knock and it shall be opened unto you." (see 3 Nephi 14:7) Prayer opens that door for revelation (see link for understanding revelation). When we receive revelation we can better understand our question to God. No matter what question we have we need to inquire to someone who knows more then us. I have an experience when I inquired to my boxing coach, who had more knowledge then me, for an answer to my question.

There was a time in my life when I was focused on improving my skills as a boxer. I would constantly push myself to improve by training and sparring with boxers who were better and more experienced then me. I remember a specific sparring session that helped me improve dramatically. I was sparring with a southpaw. A southpaw is a boxing term that designates the stance where the boxer has his right hand and right foot forward, leading with right jabs, and following with a left cross. It was my first time fighting up against a southpaw so I was not use to reacting to the acquired punches he threw. My opponent was punching me with a left cross. This punch I caught with my face. I didn't see the punch coming and it landed on my nose and knocked me backwards onto my back. With my stubbornness and competitive nature I would quickly get back up on my feet and continue fighting. And again he would hit me with the same punch landing me on my back. This continued three times in a row. My face was looking beat up with black and blue bruises surfacing on my cheek. After the third time I realized I could not beat him without some further guidance and instruction from my trainer. I inquired of my trainer. He gave me some coaching on how to counter my attacker. I returned to the sparring session with confidence and hope knowing I had a plan of attack. My opponent sticking with what was working threw the same left cross. I duct under the punch and countered with a punch of my own. My punch landed right on the side of his ear causing him to fall to the canvas. 
           

Nephi prays for guidance.
(see 1 Nephi 16:23  )

In my experience, I inquired of someone who knew more then me to help me improve in my boxing technique. Its a basic principal that if we ask someone who knows more then us we will learn from them. "O how great the holiness of our God! For he knoweth all things, and there is not anything save he knows it." (see 2 Nephi 9:20) God knows and understands everything. Imagine how much we can learn if we continually ask God for understanding. God can help us through anything. All we need to do is "knock". We all go through trials in life and God can help us but its our job to ask. Satan has "left crosses" that he throws at us causing us pain and affliction. We may have limitations like an illness that limits us from doing normal activities, the loss of a loved one, the burden of sin or any other trial we're going through. Sometimes we are in the mitts of a trial and don't have answers or understanding on how to over come it. There is always hope. If we ask God in humble prayer with all the sincerity and energy of our heart the Holy Ghost can provide coaching and guidance during our trials. Giving us strength to help us endure and answers to help us over come. With the Holy Ghost as our coach we can learn how to counter our opponent.

How do I recognize answers to my prayers? (see link below)

The Voice of the Lord
By: President Henery B. Eyring
First Counselor in the First Presidency

Thank you for Reading,

Elder Guzik

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