Brown of the First Presidency (1883–1975) why the Lord would put Abraham through the experience of being asked to sacrifice his own son. The fact is, bad things happen to good people. The scriptures contain many examples of righteous people who suffered: Abraham, Abinadi, Joseph of Egypt, Joseph Smith, and even Jesus Christ. Yes, some trials come because of our own disobedience, but many trials are simply part of life. From it we can grow and progress if we choose to. Sometimes we think our trials come because we did something wrong. So what can I learn from this experience?”

Instead of asking, “Why did this happen to me?” or “Why doesn’t God care about me?” we say, “Well, I know God loves me I know that. Something wonderful happens when we really know, without a doubt, that God loves us-our questions completely change. However, we know, we are sure, that God loves His children. We don’t have all the answers to explain all the tragedies in the world and in our own neighborhoods. Nephi’s answer is a perfect statement for us to remember in times of trial. Scripture One: We Know That God Loves His Children! ( 1 Nephi 11:17)Įarly in the Book of Mormon, an angel asks Nephi a tough question, “Knowest thou the condescension of God?” Nephi answers, “I know that he loveth his children nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things” ( 1 Nephi 11:16–17). So, rather than just asking why these things happen, let’s ask a slightly different question: What do we know for sure? Let’s explore five scriptures that will help us find comfort in the things we do know. We have revelation, both ancient and modern. However, as Latter-day Saints, we have something many philosophers and theologians don’t have. Why do these things happen? Philosophers and theologians have wrestled with that question for centuries. Innocent people, even children, are not spared.

We’ve seen it all, from large scale to small scale, from international terrorism to the breakdown of individual families. The past few years have produced a lot of scary headlines.

When times are tough john bytheway