Bad Days

I've been hearing a lot about "bad days" this week. Personally, I havent had a bad week, sure there were bad moments, but nothing that stands out as awful. It seems as if the descriptions of "bad days" seem to fall into one of two categories: bad days that are just bad- the person experiencing can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, and bad days that are learning experiences, days where the person experiencing them is looking for guidance and a lesson in the trouble. 

As I have heard these experiences this week, I paused to reflect on my own attitude on the bad days. Do I wallow in my misfortune, or do I take it in stride and look for the lessons to be learned? I grew up in the LDS church and remember hearing frequently as a child and teen that this life is a time for testing, but I don't think I internalized this until I was an adult. I don't think that I began to grasp the concept that trials are important until I started to experience life for myself. One of my favorite scriptures is 2 Nephi 2:11, the first part of the verse reads "For there must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things..." This scripture is much easier to stomach when things are going well (for me at least), but it is a good reminder that we cannot have the good without the bad. The chapter ends (well almost) with this 2 Nephi 2:26 "And the Messiah cometh in the fullness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall..."  This reminds me that all is not lost, that despite the bad days, Christ has provided a way for us to return to Heavenly Father and that despite all the bad we may experience, we should be joyful because of that. 

Everyone will have bad days. My bad days might not be everyone else's bad days, and to be honest I have been blessed with my "bad days". Brian recently told me about a quote that someone posted in his office, it read something to the effect "Some people would love to have your bad days". How true that is for so many of us. But I reminded daily, that a loving Heavenly Father knows my limitations, that it is ok if something that is small to another person is a giant mountain for me. I am reminded that my Heavenly Father  knows how far I can be pushed, and He knows the lessons I need to learn. I try to remember this in the middle of my bad days. I try to remember this as my kids scream, as work piles up, as we adjust to a new phase of life, as Brian works late. I try and remember that just like we "lovingly" push our boys to try harder, Heavenly Father does the same to us. We cannot grow if life remains easy and comfortable, growth is difficult and requires effort on our part. 

Some days I fail to grasp the full meaning of the Atonement of Christ. Well no that's wrong, most days I fail to grasp it. But like those of us that are still learning and studying, on occasion I have an "aha" moment. I recently re-read (and then did it about 5 more times) a talk given by Elder Quentin L. Cook titled "Hope Ya Know We Had a Hard Time" (Oct. 2008). This talk provides a plain and gentle reminder that Christ is mindful of our burdens however big or small that may be. Elder Cook says "...We know from the scriptures that some trials are for our good and are suited for our own personal development.  We also know that the rain falls on the just and the unjust. It is also true that every cloud we see doesn’t result in rain. Regardless of the challenges, trials, and hardships we endure, the reassuring doctrine of the Atonement wrought by Jesus Christ includes Alma’s teaching that the Savior would take upon Him our infirmities and “succor his people according to their infirmities.” ^.  ...I testify that the Atonement of Jesus Christ covers all of the trials and hardships that any of us will encounter in this life. At times when we may feel to say, “Hope you know, I had a hard time,” we can be assured that He is there and we are safe in His loving arms."

How grateful I am not only for the Atonement, but for a knowledge, however limited, of it. How grateful I am to see the Atonement at work in my daily life.   So on that note, I hope that this week brings few trials and better understanding and patience during the "bad moments". 

On a similar note, someone recently told me about this song by Hilary Weeks, and while I'm not usually a huge fan of this type of music, I thought this video was uplifting, and a good musical reminder of how bad can become good.