When dark clouds of trouble hang over...

The storms come. The clouds roll in, dark and menacing. The rains beat down on us. 

And our tears quickly follow suit.  

But just as real storms roll away, revealing the sun again, so do the storms of life. The darkness dissipates, our tears dry and the Son is revealed. The Son of God shines brighter than any darkness.

When I feel drenched in the storms of grief, I can feel the warmth of my Savior wrap me up and pull me into the light again. Sometimes it takes me longer than other times to feel it and let His grace save me. I don't know why. If I know what I know, if I know His grace will save me, I don't know why sometimes I take longer than other times to turn to His comfort. I think sometimes we just start to drown in our grief, and we lack the will to work our way out. But, however long it takes me, I always find my way back to the surface; to the grace of my Lord. I am surrounded by His love and compassion. I am freed from the burdens, grief and pains that weigh me down. 

But, you see, it takes some effort on my part. I must choose His light. I must trust His grace. 

If you choose to sink, if you choose not to try, then the Lord cannot help you. He cannot make you do anything you do not want to do. One of God's greatest gifts to us is our agency, our right to choose. He will never force us to turn to Him. Our faith must remain in Him. And if we trust in His goodness and have faith in His plans He will gladly comfort us when we ask. 

"May we choose to build up within ourselves a great and powerful faith which will be our most effective defense against the designs of the adversary—a real faith, the kind of faith which will sustain us and will bolster our desire to choose the right. Without such faith, we go nowhere. With it, we can accomplish our goals... if we choose Christ, we will have made the correct choice." Thomas S. Monson

We just have to ask. We just have to choose Him. 

As the hymn goes, "When dark clouds of trouble hang o'er us and threaten our peace to destroy, There is hope smiling brightly before us and we know that deliverance is nigh."

With faith all is possible. With faith in the Savior and the power of His atonement we can break free of darkness and find shelter from the storms.

XO.