Uniquely Difficult Challenges - 5 April 2022

 Do you ever wish you had someone else's problems rather than your own? Is there a reason why we are given the precise challenges we face?

In a recent missionary devotional, Sister Bonnie H. Cordon related the stories of Naaman and Nephi. Naaman wanted to be healed from his leprosy, and Nephi wanted to get the brass plates from Laban. Whereas Naaman, a strong military leader, was asked to wash himself in a dirty river seven times. Nephi, a humble, respectful soul, was commanded to kill Laban.

Here's what's interesting: if Naaman and Nephi had switched places, they would have had no challenge fulfilling the set of instructions giving to each other! Naaman, a military leader, likely wouldn't have shrunk at the thought of killing Laban. And Nephi, a humble follower of Christ, wouldn't have had any qualms about the humiliating manner in which Naaman was to be healed. But God sent us here to learn, stretch, and grow. And so each of us will face uniquely difficult challenges that are exactly what we need to do so.

But what really struck me was the last thing that Sister Cordon said. She said that we should have greater compassion for those we interact with in our lives, because what the Lord is asking them to do may be uniquely hard for them, even if it isn't for us.

We might be tempted to judge or criticize others for struggling with something, but we may not understand how hard it is for them or how hard they are trying. As we work through our own unique personal challenges, we can help each other along by showing our love and seeking to be compassionate!