The title I used comes from a talk by Elder Joseph B. Worthlin in the October 2006 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It's a wonderful talk, but oddly nothing I have to say here really references it. It just seemed fitting.
May I just say that I love Sundays? There isn't another day like it when I can just relax and forget about everything I have to do. When I can be with my family and laugh and eat and have fun. When I can take the time to be quiet and to really stop and look at the world around me. Sundays are the days when I stop to have a "think," and it is always much-needed.
Aaaand one of my favorite things about Sundays are Relief Society. I truly enjoy my time in that wonderful organization--whether I'm in a student/singles ward or a visiting a family ward--there is something about being surrounded by the women of the church and listening to their trials, blessings, testimonies, and experiences that captivates me and makes me want to be and do better each week. It's such a blessing!
Today, I was visiting the family ward I grew up in. Our lesson in Relief Society was about service--"the heartbeat of the Church." It was so good for me to hear stories of giving and receiving service. I felt the love the sisters in the ward had for each other. As part of the lesson, Sister Harman re-told the story of The Good Samaritan from the Bible. She asked a few questions, and a discussion ensued. It was pointed out that not only did the Samaritan stop, he bandaged the man, took him to an in, paid the inn-keeper money to care for a stranger, and stayed with him through the night.
All my life, I had kind of glanced over that part. Today, it hit me, and I sat there in silence wondering what was so significant about the Samaritan staying to watch over, serve, and care for this stranger through the night. And then I remembered...
When I am sad and having a hard time, night is the worst time of day. In the dark I feel most alone. At night, my problems seem to multiply and my blessings seem to dissipate. What once seemed just a bump in my road, sometimes transforms into a monstrous boulder. Nights are just really hard to get through sometimes. But, if this is the case, why was it that the Samaritan stayed for only one night?
The Samaritan, as good as he was, was also on his own journey with tasks to complete. He also knew that, in order to become stronger, the stranger had to do some healing and growing for himself. With the rising of the sun, it was evident that the stranger would come to recover. This, I found is very applicable to me. Just as my troubles seem to multiply by the thousands at night, so they seem to shrink into insignificance with the rising of the sun. In the morning, the sun sheds light on the world--not only brightening my day, but lightening my load of cares. In the sunshine, I can see more clearly the ways to tackle a problem or at least find the silver-lining. Troubles don't seem so intimidating in the light of the day, and it is by struggling through my own problems that I grow most. I don't learn as much when others fix them for me.
Better yet, by the light of day, I can see my trials put into perspective and how much I can help those around me and how beautiful everything is and how happy I am to live in this world. Sometimes, I just need that arm to lean on when things are very hard to bear. It is in those times that I have been rescued many times by family, friends, and most of all, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
:)
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