I had a conversation with an old friend recently who has a close family member with a debilitating mental illness. Whereas I was of an opinion that we are given difficulties in life so that we would turn to God, she had forged an opinion that it was beyond some people to do so, especially those who do not know God. I greatly respect this friend and her opinions but I do not agree with this particular one. Even those who know nothing about God have a concept of His existence and have come to find him in their hour of desperation. As Abraham Lincoln once said: "I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go."
I am not speaking here out of idealism. Within my frame of reference lies experience regarding this subject. Not only have I had success myself in turning to God for relief of my difficulties, I too have someone close to me who suffers with a debilitating mental illness. It is heartbreaking to watch and equally frustrating knowing that they could be helped greatly if they would turn to the fountain of all healing and deliverance. So to me, what we live with on daily basis comes down to choice. We seem to all want a life free of pain, difficulties, stress and lack. We want a life full of love, money, success, power and ease. And when we are afflicted with something and do come to God, we expect instant relief and permanent lifting of the problem. We do not want to 'take up our cross' as the Saviour has admonished us to do (Matt 10:38; Luke 9:23; 3 Nephi 12:30; D&C 56:2, 112:14). We have forgotten that in our pre-mortal state it was this very cross that we fought for the privilege to carry. Consider what Elder Ballard said on this subject:
"I am convinced that no soul has ever been whipped into this mortal existence; that each one of us came willingly, cheerfully, and gladly; even though we might have known that we were to inherit a body that was crippled, maimed, and deformed, still we were glad to come.....We knew that it meant sorrow, pain, and ultimately, death, and yet we rejoiced in the prospect to come. We saw beyond the valley of the shadow of death, with all of its pain, with all of its suffering, the grand vistas of the eternities, providing for man's eternal and endless progress, on, up and up, until we should attain unto what God is. Yet we knew that we could never ascend until we had descended and had been given a mortal tabernacle, and the union of the spirit and the body had become an accomplished fact. So by the attraction of it all we came gladly and willingly, for our eyes were not so much centered upon the sorrows and troubles of life as upon the grandness of that which lies beyond." (Melvin J. Ballard, "Sermons and Missionary Services of Melvin J. Ballard", p. 179)
For me, it is very simple. We either believe that Christ can do for us what He says He can do, and do it for all of us, or we don't. We either believe that He 'descended below all things (D&C 88:6, 122:8, Heb 2:18, D&C 62:1, Alma 7:12) in order to understand the pains of mortality and how to heal, rescue, deliver and make us whole, or we don't. His Atonement is the source of all power and it is universal. With Him, all things are possible (Mark 10:27) and they are possible for all. And if they are not possible, then the culprit is not Him, but us and our lack of faith. You will recall the story of a Jewish ruler by the name of Jairus who sought Jesus to heal his daughter who lay close to death. This father was stricken with grief as any parent would be. As Jesus traveled to administer the healing, someone came from the ruler's household to advise him that his daughter had died. The Saviour's compassion was stirred within Him as immediately he turned to this ruler with concern for his grief and said: "Be not afraid, only believe" (Mark 10:36). In other words, 'please believe that I can do all things, please believe, even if she is dead, I can yet heal her'. Obviously the ruler trusted Jesus because he led Him to his house and witnessed his daughter come back to life. The most interesting part of this story is what happened at the onset of this whole incident. As Jesus headed for the house of the ruler, a woman 'which had an issue of blood for 12 years' (Mark 10:25) also had pure, un-adulterated faith that the Saviour had so much power that even the hem of His garment would heal her. And of course, she was right.
I recently read the following story as recounted by Carole M. Stephens in October 2016 General Conference who used an example of a remarkable young woman to prove this point: "I have recently become acquainted with a remarkable young woman named Josie who suffers from bipolar disorder. Here is just a little of her journey toward healing as she shared it with me: The worst of the darkness occurs on what my family and I have deemed 'floor days'. It begins with sensory overload and acute sensitivity and resistance to any type of sound, touch, or light. It is the apex of mental anguish. There is one day in particular that I will never forget. it was early in the journey, making the experience especially frightening. I can remember sobbing, tears racing down my face as I gasped for air. But even such intense suffering paled in comparison to the pain that followed as I observed panic overwhelm my mother, so desperate to help me. With my broken mind came her broken heart. But little did we know that despite the deepening darkness, we were just moments away from experiencing a mighty miracle. As the long hour continued, my mom whispered over and over and over again, 'I would do anything to take this from you'. Meanwhile, the darkness intensified, and when I was convinced I could take no more, just then something marvelous occurred. A transcendent and wonderful power suddenly overtook my body. Then, with a 'strength beyond my own', I declared to my mom with great conviction seven life-changing words in response to her repeated desire to bear my pain. I said, 'You don't have to; Someone already has.' From the dark abyss of debilitating mental illness, Josie summoned the strength to testify of Jesus Christ and of His Atonement. She was not healed completely that day, but she received the light of hope in a time of intense darkness. And today, supported by a bedrock of understanding of the doctrine of Christ and refreshed daily by the Saviour's living water, Josie continues on her journey toward healing and exercises unshakable faith in the Master Healer." (Carole M. Stephens, "The Master Healer", in CR October 2016).
Some people who turn to God receive an immediate healing and for some it comes over time. Some never receive a total healing but are given strength to bear their mortal frailties. I don't know why. I do know that there is a certain plan for each of us that will afford us godhood at the end of the road and that we are given what we need to attain that end. Some need an instant miracle to convince them of Christ's power and love; some need to learn lessons that come through continuous suffering with increments of His sustaining power; and some need to learn to trust and believe and be proved by their patience. I also believe that nobody's acknowledgement of the Saviour's power will go unanswered and their faith not honoured, some time, somewhere. My heart goes out to those who are in the waiting room. I know something of that place. My belief is though that you will not be left there forever, just don't be afraid, but only believe.
