Adversity

As I was reading these scriptures, I felt like I was reading a "Greatest Hits" list as far as scriptures go. Some of the great ones such as Romans 8:35, Alma 7:11, and D&C 122:7 are all ones that have spoken strongly to me in the past when I've been going through difficult times. All of these are good, but I want to pull out some specific ones in hope of answering some big questions.

Why are there bad things in the first place?

I'm sure most people have asked this. If there was a God that we claimed loved us so much, why would he let us suffer? You never really see a loving mother leave their child outside in the snow, so why does God let some people freeze to death when he could send down a pillar of fire to warm them or even better just change the weather? I think it is because there needs to be extremes in this life of good and bad, wicked and righteous, ease and horror, in order to get out of this life what God (and we) want. The scripture that goes with this is 2 Nephi 2:11:

11 For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my first-born in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.

Why does God let bad things happen?

What is important to remember is that in most cases God is not causing whatever is happening. The choices of others or ourselves is usually the cause of the bad things that happen is our lives. One of the most precious gifts God has given us is the ability to make choices, and so sacred is that ability that God lets our choices ride out - for the consequence of good or evil we all have to finish our own mortal experience so we can then be judged on those choices. An example is in The Book of Mormon when wicked unbelievers decided it would be fun to throw all the believing women and children into a bonfire and make the captured prophet watch. One scripture that goes with this is Alma 14:11:

11 But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day.

God also allows bad things to happen because he expects us to take the experience and use it to grow. The saying is that gold and silver must be put into the fire in order to reach their true potential as pure and precious metals and I believe that the same process applies to us. The scripture that goes with this is D&C 122:7:

7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.

Why does God lift burdens?

He lifts the burden for the same reason he allows the burden to be places upon us - to become better people. If there is something to learn through enduring to the end there is also something to learn about experiencing a heart full of gratitude. The scripture that goes with this is Mosiah 24:14:

14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

How we can survive these adversities?

The answer is Christ. Grace is defined at "the enabling power of God." By grace we are saved is absolutely true - because through Christ's atonement we are given power to be stronger than whatever we face, to not let it break us. Christ takes away the burden and effects of sin, but the atonement was also for broken hearts and spirits. One scripture that explains this concept is Alma 7:11-12:

11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

No matter what we face, Christ can't be taken from us. As long as we're reaching out to him, his power and grace are extended towards us. The scripture that goes with this is Romans 8:38-39:

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I guess the bottom line is that I don't know why bad things happen anymore than the next person. We can guess and reason it out, especially after the fact, but the truth of the matter is that we're not going to know why things happen until after it is all over. What is important isn't the "why did this happen", what is important is "what sort of person am I becoming?"