The Furnace of Affliction

I was studying the other morning and read something that I haven't been able to get out of my mind. It was in 1 Nephi, chapter 20, verse 10. "...I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction."

A commentary on this verse explains this: "It is in the flames of difficulty that the temporal steel of faith is forged. Ease does not call forth greatness."

The "flames of difficulty" are different for each of us. Some struggle with poor health, wayward children, circumstances beyond our control, or a variety of other things. Some of these struggles are very apparent to those who see us, others are buried deep inside and few know just how difficult they really are.

Those flames, while painful, are a necessary part of our journey. Without them, it would be impossible for us to be forged into what our Father in Heaven needs us to be. Those flames force us into an understanding that we can't do it alone. We rely more heavily on the one who knows the end from the beginning. We learn to plead for His help and recognize His arms around us.

And eventually, we become great, like He is.