Trials are Trials

"Oh, things will get better," is something you've probably heard a thousand times in your life when you're going through some sort of trial, big or small. I think it's just part of our human nature to attempt to minimize a trial for someone else, in order to make sense of it.

I recently read an article in the Ensign, and it has given me new perspective:

"Although I am far from perfect at putting this principle into action, I have learned that the greatest gift we can give someone who is suffering isn’t advice about how things will get better, how we should be grateful it isn’t worse, or how we need to have faith. Sometimes the things we say in our efforts to help actually come across as judgmental or trivialize the depth of sorrow the person is experiencing. The greatest gift I ever received in a time of pain came in the form of a sweet roommate who shared the pain with me, dividing it up between the two of us so it would be easier for me to carry."

Since I've read this article, I've noticed that I do this all the time, and it really bugs me that I do it. In fact, just yesterday, I was talking to a friend-her husband will be leaving for 11 weeks for Air Force training, and I said to her, "Well, at least he'll be safe, he won't be in Iraq." It's true, he will be safe, but that doesn't take the trial away-her husband will still be gone for 3 months!

I'm learning that trials are trials, and they're hard and something that must be endured, and I can be a good friend by being compassionate and not trying to fix it. I'm also learning through the example of my dear friends that you can still be happy when going through trials; something I'm also trying to learn.