It sure seems like I've been sitting in God's classroom for quite some time now. The lessons keep coming! Yesterday, the Spirit taught me, yet again, another worthwhile lesson: something that I really took to heart.
My husband and I had fallen asleep watching Friends. I woke up around 1AM, my neck kinked; my head pounding. I nudged Corey to wake up and we went to bed. When morning rolled around, my head was just throbbing! I was in so much pain--nearly to the point of tears.
Note that this was my first, truly awful migraine since I returned home from my mission nearly six months ago, earlier than anticipated.
Church meetings were going to start in an hour and there was no way that I'd be able to get myself ready in time; no way that I'd be able to get ready at all in the state I was in! Corey ran to the kitchen to get me some medicine, and I went back to sleep.
As I drifted into my dreams, I distinctly remember saying a prayer--in my state of unconsciousness--asking Heavenly Father to ease the burden even a little bit so I could get myself out of bed and ready for church.
When I opened my eyes, I looked over at my husband and told him that I wanted to go to church. My headache was gone.
Just long enough for me to get myself ready, out the door, and take the sacrament, God took away my migraine. As soon as the sacrament ended, the migraine came back.
I buried my head into Corey's side. Dreadful. Absolute pain.
I couldn't help but silently ask my Heavenly Father why He couldn't take the pain away for the duration of the testimony meeting. I so wanted to feel the spirit and learn from those who shared their testimonies. I'd had such an amazing experience last month! I wanted it again!
My answer came rather swiftly.
Trials are untimely.
Trials are hard.
Trials are not desired.
Trials lead me to my knees.
Trials make me plead.
Trials draw me nearer to God.
Trials allow me to recognize His mighty hand.
This trial in particular was a tender mercy from the Lord. While it was odd that He took my pain away for only an hour, for the sixty minutes that God eased my burden, I was able to focus on the single, most important event of the week: taking the sacrament.
As silly as it may seem, I'm so grateful for the headache I got yesterday. Through that difficult, temporary experience, I was granted a greater knowledge of the importance of the sacrament. I shared a moment with my Savior, Jesus Christ, when I partook of the emblems of His death. He had already suffered my headache. He had already felt that agonizing pain for me so that I didn't have to go through it alone. Because God eased my burden for that little time, soon afterward, I felt His love overtake me. I felt His hand work a tiny miracle just so my testimony could grow ever so slightly.
That slight increase in my faith in the Atonement of the Lord and Savior made all the difference in the world.
Because of that headache, I made progress in my eternal journey.
Because of that headache and my desire to renew my covenants, God did not just allow me to renew my promises, but to renew my testimony.
I always knew that trials would help me progress.
I had never thought that the teeniest, tiniest trial could get me that much closer to God until yesterday.
God is a god of miracles.
My trials are a great blessing from my Father in Heaven.
I wouldn't trade the lessons I've learned and the insights I've gained from the discomforts I've experienced thus far for the world.
I cherish my trials.
I hope you do too.
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