Be Still My Soul

Posted by Justine | October 25, 2008 | 23 Comments

Remember Amulon? He’s the guy that spends time persecuting Alma and his people. It’s been a rough time for Alma’s folks, and they’re only allowed to pray in their souls, not out loud, or it’s death for the lot of them.

Then there’s this fabulous scripture when “the voice of the Lord” comes to Alma’s people. I’m sure you all know the scripture.

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.

I, like all of us, have had trials and struggles and rotten things that have happened to me. I sometimes wish desperately that I could write a beautiful Ensign article all about them, telling with confidence how everything was resolved, all the tension eased, all the conflicts fairly adjudicated.

But it just doesn’t always work out that way. It doesn’t always resolve. It isn’t always quickly settled. Sometimes pain goes on — sometimes we aren’t healed, sometimes relationships stay strained, sometimes we still don’t have enough money. That has always been where Mosiah 24:14 has always played a part in my life — easing my burden.

Oh, how selfish I’ve been.

As my personal health issues refuse to resolve themselves, and I watch our retirement fund shrink every day, I am reminded that I have been tremendously buoyed. My mind has been eased, and a stress ulcer kept at bay. A smile has managed to stay on my face and, as Alma’s people experienced, I have not felt the full weight of the burdens placed upon my back.

The spirit has recently reminded me that now it’s my turn for the second part of the verse. To “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.”

I get my turn to witness that He has lightened my burden, he has helped me to smile, he has spoken peace to my trembling soul. While I shrink in the face of the unknown future, He holds my hand. Like a toddler still unsure on her legs, he holds me up from behind, faces me forward and gently guides my cobbled steps.

Together we are facing a scary time in the world. Am I the only one that feels like panicking sometimes!? More than once, I’ve wanted to start hiding money under the mattress, or to be angry for not healing faster. But I’m learning. I’m learning to trust. I’ll shout it from the rafters if I may, because I am obligated and honored to testify that the Lord has visited me in my afflictions.

My soul has been calmed. Smile with me, ladies… (and don’t look at your 401(k). Trust me.)

How does the Lord “visit [you] in your afflictions”? Share it with someone in your life who might be ready to panic (well, share it with me too!).

Category: Daily Special

Comments

23 Responses to “Be Still My Soul”

m&m
October 25th, 2008 @ 1:29 am

Justine,
I love you. And I love you all the more for writing this.
m&m
October 25th, 2008 @ 1:33 am

And here’s a talk I gave a few years ago along these same lines that came to my mind as I read your post…felt maybe it would be worth sharing, if for no other reason than to be a second witness.
m&m
October 25th, 2008 @ 1:33 am

(Argh…didn’t close the link. Sorry!)
Andrea R.
October 25th, 2008 @ 3:32 am

Justine,
Thank you for this lovely post. This scripture means so much to me. There have been so many times in my life, especially in the last few years when my prayer has been, “Father, I can’t possibly carry any more. Please make my burdens lighter and my back stronger.” And always, imperceptibly, it becomes lighter, my back becomes stronger, and I’m able to breathe a little easier. Sometimes it’s through another person, sometimes it’s because health issues resolve for a season, and sometimes it’s because I’ve been given an extra measure of peace and strength. It happens, and it keeps me going.

My prayers are with you during this hard time for you!
wendy
October 25th, 2008 @ 9:10 am

Justine, this was beautiful. I love you.

I have been surprised by some of the ways the Lord has visited me in some of my afflictions. It’s often through somebody else, but not always: A long sought for insight while reading the scriptures, a whispering from the Spirit during a talk or lesson, a general conference address that spoke directly to me, a helping hand, or as Andrea wrote, sometimes an extra measure of peace (those always feel miraculous).

When you wrote, “Sometimes pain goes on — sometimes we aren’t healed, sometimes relationships stay strained, sometimes we still don’t have enough money,” you were right on. Yet those little moments of being visited by the Lord do lend healing and comfort and the strength to continue on with hope.

Thank you for writing this.
annegb
October 25th, 2008 @ 9:49 am

This is wonderful, I’m printing it off for Bill. Our situation sounds so much like yours. I tend to be a little more que-sera about it than he does. He always has thought the sky was falling, since we were first married. Now, 27 years later, he’s saying “see? I was right!” LOL…

I’ve often asked him if he truly has a testimony of God and eternity, does he not know that there is more than this life and God is in charge? Theoretically, he does, realistically, not so much.

However, I, too, have been afraid and have had the same feelings you describe as we deal with our marital issues, my health and the failing economy (he’s a car salesman). So I needed this reassurance as well. Thank you, thank you!

Oh—one more thing, I think, too about the article I could write for the Ensign about my struggles, but I couldn’t give them that happy ending, either, I so appreciate you for sharing your feelings about that. It’s always good to know you’re not the only one.
cindy baldwin
October 25th, 2008 @ 9:51 am

This is something I was talking about with a friend last night.

Last year was a hard year for me. People kept telling me, “It gets worse right before it gets better” – sort of as an encouragement to hang in there, the best is yet to come. Well, about every two weeks I felt certain that I’d hit the breaking point. I literally did not think I could stand it for another hour. I would pray and pray and say, “Lord, this is it, I can’t take it any more” – and I would feel peace, and think things were finally going to start to get better. And instead, they’d get worse. It went on like this for months on end. I felt like I was being dragged over rocks.

After about a year, that trial finally ended and things DID get a lot better (and then of course other things got harder and so on). I learned two things in all this: First, that my idea of “breaking point” was completely different than the Lord’s, and second, that there was always some measure of peace to be found when I sought it, even if it wasn’t the total removal of the trial, which is what I wanted.
Justine
October 25th, 2008 @ 11:52 am

“dragged over rocks”, that’s a pretty good one. I think right now, we are ALL probably feeling a little skittish, eh? The prospect of spiraling into another depression, the idea that we really DO live in uncertain times.

There is much comfort to be found in the Lord, and in each other.

I am reminded that The Lord can make a way where there is no way. Hang on, friends!
michelle
October 25th, 2008 @ 12:45 pm

Love this Justine. Love you. I never cease to be amazed at the hand of God in my life– especially in the dark times.
Julie P (rarely home mom)
October 25th, 2008 @ 2:57 pm

Thank you for that, Justine. I’ve felt an ulcer start and grow the past couple months. Of course, it might be more in my head than my gut, but whatever. What a sweet reminder your post was.
Bertie Ranger
October 25th, 2008 @ 3:53 pm

Thanks for this wonderful post! You have uplifted me today:)
Jennifer B.
October 25th, 2008 @ 3:55 pm

Just beautiful.
eljee
October 25th, 2008 @ 4:59 pm

When we were about 3.5 years into our infertility, I had hit the breaking point. I was clinically depressed and life was very, very dark. In my mind, the only way I saw out of my grief and anger was to get pregnant. Then my dh gave me a blessing in which I was told that my trial would not be over for a long time. That was devastating to hear, but it was also a turning point point because I knew that I needed to take steps to be healed in my heart because I was not going to be healed in my body. So I went to my bishop, got a referral to an LDS counselor, and started the inner work I needed to do.

It amazed me that within six months I was happy! Instead of feeling depressed and bitter, I felt joyful and empowered. I still had my moments, but overall, I was a totally different person and my life had changed copletely. My trial was exactly the same, yet my whole perspective on it and my whole ability to cope with it had changed. It was 3 more years before we had a child, and there were definitely really rough times in that three years (because we ARE here to know sorrow too), but this scripture was true in my life, no doubt about it. As we turn to Him, and as we do whatever healing and submitting work we need to do inside of ourselves, we can bear our burdens with much greater ease.
Carina
October 25th, 2008 @ 10:33 pm

I feel calm and happy. My trust is where it needs to be, and I am full of hope.
Blue
October 25th, 2008 @ 11:15 pm

I recently wrote about this, but I don’t think I did the best job of explaining that it was because of being carried that I was feeling so joyful. I think I was prompted to write about the joy because my season of ease was about to hit some bumps, and the Lord knew in his tender mercy that I would need it recorded to look back upon when I was in the next round of trial and tribulation.

I loved the way you described it Taryn. Thanks for the great piece and the perspective you have on the subject.
♥
Jennie
October 26th, 2008 @ 8:27 am

Thanks for this Justine! I have a complete testimony of this. The Lord’s hand can feel very light at times. It’s hard not to feel abandoned. Especially when you strive so hard everyday to do what’s right.
I think that’s why it’s important to pray for answers to all prayers, not just big thing, but little things too. I can’t tell you how many times the Lord has helped me find things I’ve lost (It’s embarrassing to admit). Or had a person say exactly the thing I needed to hear, or have a little bit of extra cash when it’s needed.

It’s important to let the Lord answer the small prayers, so that when the big prayers are going unanswered, we know that the Lord is still mindful of us. He can tell us that He cares and that He is thinking of us, even if we still have larger trials that seem to never end.
Leslie
October 26th, 2008 @ 1:35 pm

I learned from 3 very difficult years of not recieving the miracles and healing I hoped for that it takes more faith to not recieve the miracle and still believe than it does to have the faith and be healed. Courage and patience have been my wise tutors in affliction. The nourishing love of others saw me through.
wendy
October 26th, 2008 @ 2:44 pm

I used your scripture in my lesson today–it added just what I needed. I appreciate your joyful example, Justine, very very much.
jendoop
October 26th, 2008 @ 5:40 pm

When this post was first published I couldn’t comment. I was sick of hearing that scripture about burdens being lightened. Why doesn’t God just take the burdens away, what kind of back-handed blessing is that to make them lighter? We’re supposed to be grateful our pack only contains 10 lbs instead of 20?

Despite how dark I was feeling about my life and the lack of support and understanding I felt I still made it to my knees every night to talk to Heavenly Father. There are nights I preface my prayer with an apology, “Sorry if this is irreverant or disrespectful but you’ve told me to bear my heart so here it is…” I strive at the worst times to be painfully honest with Him, and thus myself, about what it is I’m not happy about, what it is that seems so difficult and what I’d like Him to do to help me.

His mercy and patience with me is incomprehensible. I, a mere mortal, come to him full of whiny complaints and somehow He sees me as his daughter, full of potential. The God of the world is willing to put up with that, be forgiving and supportive, and even bless me? What that conveys to me about who I am, what He knows I am capable of and what I should do speaks volumes.

Today was a better day and I know it was because He has lightened my burdens.
Adri
October 26th, 2008 @ 7:00 pm

Love your post, Justine. I don’t have any good advice. I just wanted you to know how much I look up to you and appreciate your sharing your experiences with me (and the world!)
Stephen M (Ethesis)
October 27th, 2008 @ 5:57 am

I liked this post, a lot, and the thought that there was always some measure of peace to be found when I sought it, even if it wasn’t the total removal of the trial, which is what I wanted.

Thank you for sharing.
Cori
October 28th, 2008 @ 12:28 pm

I’m new to this Segullah world and read your post first. Thank you. Very inspiring and timely thoughts about a multi-faceted scripture.

Today’s “Courage to go on…”
Becky
November 15th, 2008 @ 10:27 pm

This was exactly what I needed. A reassuring feeling that all is in the Lord’s hands. Thank you!