Walk with Him: How to Endure

Trust (faith) is the first principle of the gospel. It’s also the last principle of the gospel. One cannot endure to the end without trust.

As Joseph was thrown into the pit, then into prison, he endured. He didn’t give in or give up, even when openly tested with sexual advances from Potiphar’s wife. We don’t know exactly how his trust in God developed, whether it was the testimony of his parents or from his own revelations, but we do know Joseph stayed with God and God stayed with him (Genesis 39:2, Genesis 41:16) through thick and thin.

When I’m in a hard place and want to quit, I do these five things: 1) Take a nap. Rest is my best source of renewal. 2) Remember my Why. Why do I want to do this hard thing? What kind of person do I want to be while going through this? 3) Trust in what I know. Storms always pass and each one teaches me a new lesson. 4) Reread love letters from God that are recorded in my journals. The sacred words assure me I can trust Him. 5) Be with Him. Prayer, scriptures, sacrament meeting, temple, and nature are my best sources of nourishment and strength needed to endure.

“I may not know where you are in your life right now, but there are moments when the Lord brings us to the edge of our strength—not to abandon us, but to deepen our trust in Him. In these sacred moments of faith, we discover that He is closer to us than we ever imagined. Sometimes He calms the storm, sometimes He strengthens the soul that is going through it. The Savior Jesus Christ does not waste our trials. He consecrates them for our own gain. When we choose faith over fear, we will begin to realize that what felt like a fall was actually the Lord Himself teaching us how to fly.” –Rufuson Genesis Yonjaye

“In any case, brothers and sisters, how could there be refining fires without enduring some heat? Or greater patience without enduring some instructive waiting? Or more empathy without bearing one another’s burdens—not only that others’ burdens may be lightened, but that we may be enlightened through greater empathy? How can there be later magnification without enduring some present deprivation? The enlarging of the soul requires not only some remodeling, but some excavating.” –Neal A. Maxwell

Consider writing a letter to encourage your future self to stay close to Him no matter what (from the Come Follow Me Manual).