For verily I say unto you, blessed is he that keepeth my commandments, whether in life or in death; and he that is faithful in tribulation, the reward of the same is greater in the kingdom of heaven.
Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation.
For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand. (Doctrine & Covenants 58:2-3)
Most people turn to negative and potentially addictive behaviors when they try to run away from their problems. These addictive behaviors can range from alcohol and drugs, to gambling and even video games. To be faithful in tribulation means to walk the hard road in faith and live righteously no matter what the situation is and to turn to Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father for help to endure well. It means that you must walk forward and onward righteously instead of running away or stepping aside from our trials.
To be faithful in tribulation, we need to ultimately remember that we are children of God. He is our Father in Heaven who loves us, and wants us to be happy. He wants us to learn our lessons in mortality and to choose to live righteously so we can return to Him after this life. Sometimes the lessons we need to learn can only be taught from experiencing tribulation in matters even greater than ourselves. He gives us the Commandments and scriptures to help guide us through troubled times and to bring us joy. He gave to the world a savior, His only begotten son, Jesus Christ, the most perfect example of how to live righteously. As His children, He sends His comfort through the Spirit, but we are given the choice to accept it, and the choice to believe in Him.
We need to keep an open line of communication with our Heavenly Father by praying to Him daily. Daily prayers facilitate blessings in our lives. When we humble ourselves before Him and express our gratitude, we experience peace of mind. Even if a person has not selected to participate in any one religion, prayer is the steadfast truth of the ages. Prayer is the focused intent of an individual. It has the power to manifest our innermost desires. We are all His children and He hears us. When we choose to pray, we will receive the guidance we need. When we choose to pray, we facilitate our spiritual progress, which will lead us to personal revelations and further instruction. When we speak to our Heavenly Father, we will feel His love for us daily, and when we most need it, in times of tribulation.
As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) we make covenants to our Heavenly Father that we will choose to turn to Him in our trials and tribulations, instead of the trappings of mortality. Through these covenants, we are blessed with the power to endure well because we are strengthened by Him. When we are baptized, we promise to be faithful, and in the service of Jesus and our Heavenly Father, forever. We are endowed with knowledge that should we choose to keep our covenants, even through tribulation, we will be blessed not only in this life, but in immortality. We are given examples of this truth in studying the scriptures. When we have prayerful conversations with our Heavenly Father, He provides us with the comfort of His Spirit, and the guidance we need to persevere. We are also given a Prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley, and other inspired leaders of our church to give us counsel on how to continue to be faithful during the trials and tribulations of our day.
As the return of our Lord, Jesus Christ draws near, we must be ever diligent to the choices we make no matter what our circumstance may be. We must be faithful in tribulation. As we do so, our testimonies of the gospel will grow and our faith to endure righteously will become easier. When we do all that we are supposed to do, our lives will be blessed, now and in the hereafter.
