God uses trials and challenges to stretch us to our limits. It is his way of allowing us to discover our own strengths, writes Kayla Kaimarama-Willie of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

President Spencer W. Kimball, the 12^th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints once said, “Life has a full share of ups and downs. We see many joys and sorrows in the world, many changed plans and new directions, many blessing that do not always look or feel like blessings, and much that humbles us and improves our patience and our faith. We have all had those experiences from time to time, and I suppose we always will.”

Remember the well-known line from Cervantes’ great classic, Don Quixote that says, “where one door closes, another opens?” Well, we know that doors close regularly in our lives, and some of those “closings” cause genuine pain and heartache. But I do believe that where one such door closes, another opens, with hope and blessings in other areas of our lives that we might not have discovered otherwise.

I would like to speak of one attitude and practice we need to adopt if we are to meet our Heavenly Father’s high expectations. It is this: being willing to accept and even seek corrections.

Let me illustrate this through the story of Elder Hugh B. Brown. Elder Brown purchased a rundown farm many years ago. While cleaning and repairing his property, he came across a currant bush over six feet high with no berries. Brown pruned this bush leaving only small stumps.

In the process, he saw a tear-like drop on top of each of these stumps, as if the currant bush were crying, and thought he heard it say: “How could you do this to me? I was making such wonderful growth … And now you’ve cut me down. Every plant in the garden will look down on me … How could you do this to me? I thought you were the gardener here.”

“Look, little currant bush, I am the gardener here, and I know what I want you to be. I don’t intend you to be a fruit tree or a shade tree. I want you to be a currant bush, when you are laden with fruit, you are going to say, ‘Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for loving me enough to cut me down’.”

Years later, Elder Brown was in line to be promoted to general. Though he was fully qualified, it was denied to him because of his faith.

Elder Brown recounts: “I got on the train with a broken heart, with bitterness in my soul . . . When I got to my tent, I threw my cap on the cot. I clenched my fists and shook them at heaven. I said, ‘How could you do this to me, God? I have done everything I could to measure up … How could you do this to me?’ I heard my own voice, saying, ‘I am the gardener here. I know what I want you to do.’

“The bitterness went out of my soul, and I fell on my knees by the cot to ask forgiveness for my ungratefulness … 50 years later, I look up to God and say, ‘Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for cutting me down, for loving me enough to hurt me’.”

Like Elder Brown, God has greater plans for each of us.

Sometimes, what we aspire to be or become is not what God had intended for us. It can be very difficult for one to accept such an outcome, especially if one has worked so hard for it. Sometimes, God redirects our path to make them bigger and better than what we had hoped for.

God uses trials and challenges to stretch us to our limits. It is his way of allowing us to discover our own strengths. How could there be refining fires without enduring some heat? Or greater patience without enduring some instructive waiting?

When difficulty humbles, refines, teaches, and blesses us, they can be powerful instruments in the hands of God to make us better people.

We are not always wise enough nor experienced enough to judge all the possible things that could go right or wrong in our lives. At various times in our lives, we do have to acknowledge that God knows what we do not know and sees what we do not see.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8).

I testify that things will get better. They always do - especially when we live and love the gospel of Jesus Christ and give it a chance to flourish in our lives. It takes great faith and courage to accept the outcome as God’s will for us.

Trust in His timing and not our own. I know God uses love inspired correction to guide us to a future we do not or cannot now envision but which He knows is the better way for us.

May God bless us in the ups and downs of life, in the opening and closing doors.

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.