The book True to the Faith defines humility as “an acknowledgment that your talents and abilities are gifts from God … it is an indication that you know where your true strength lies.” Adversity creates this sort of humility in that you have the opportunity to learn to rely completely on the Lord. If you let it, adversity can deepen your spirituality and relationship with God and can make you more in tune with the Spirit.
Some of the darkest periods of our lives can also be times for the most learning and growth. When your heart is broken and contrite, that is when God can stretch it the most. The lyrics of the song Only the Brokenhearted express this well:
Broken hearts are deeper;
They've been opened wide
And the tears become containers
To hold more love inside
And truly feel what only the brokenhearted can (Call, Cherie).
In the midst of great adversity is where your faith can grow the most. This is the place of a great crossroads. You can choose to doubt God and ask how He could let this happen to you, or you can choose to exercise faith and believe that He will keep you in the hollow of his hand. Often, in the midst of opposition you strain to see God’s hand in your life and your human nature simply restrains you from finding it. This is exactly when you need faith the most. When you look back at your decision to not despair, but to show faith in Christ, you will see that you “took the [road] less traveled by, and that has made all the difference” (Frost).
I told a friend recently that the past few weeks have been some of the hardest of my life. In the span of just a few short weeks, I believe I have cried more than ever before, but I also believe I have learned and grown more than ever before. While I am in a completely new environment far from most of my family and friends, I have had to learn to completely rely on God. My heart has been broken, and rather than heal it right away, God has had me exercise faith that, over time, it will become whole. I am beginning to internalize the meaning of a broken heart and a contrite spirit. It is now, more than ever, that I have come to know what it means to have faith in Christ. I know, now, that it is not just belief, though that was the beginning. I have faith that I am where God wants me to be. I have faith that I am doing what He wants me to do. And I have faith that while He will not deliver me from adversity immediately, He is holding me in the hollow of His hand. He is picking me up when I fall and encouraging me every step of the way. He is supporting me and allowing me to learn and grow and become stronger.
As I look back on the choices I have made, I can see where I decided to simply walk with faith. I cannot see very far on the road ahead; but looking back at my path, I can see that God has been with me all the way, often carrying me over the most treacherous parts. I can see where I made the choice to walk the less traveled road of faith, and I know it has made all the difference.
Works Cited
Call, Cherie. "Only the Brokenhearted." Cherie Call's Web Page. Web. 12 Oct. 2009.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference. Salt Lake City: Intellectual Reserve, Inc., 2004. Print.
Faust, James E. "The Healing Power of Forgiveness." The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Apr. 2007. Web. 12 Oct. 2009.
Frost, Robert. "The Road Not Taken. Frost, Robert. 1920. Mountain Interval." Bartleby.com: Great Books Online -- Quotes, Poems, Novels, Classics and hundreds more. Web. 12 Oct. 2009. http://www.bartleby.com/119/1.html.
