when things go wrong

Every now and then things go wrong, this is just part of life.

The month of January could have been better. Among several other things I spent the entire month ill which eventually turned into pneumonia. In the middle of all of this I came across this passage of scripture in my daily studies:

And it came to pass that after many days the Lamanites began again to be stirred up in angler against the Nephites, and they began to come into the borders of the land round about.

Now they durst not slay them, because of the oath which their king had made unto Limhi; but they would smite them on their cheeks, and exercise authority over them; and began to put heavy burdens upon their backs, and drive them as they would a dumb ass--

Yea, all this was done that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled.

Mosiah 21: 2 - 4 (emphasis added)

I can't say that my burdens could even compare to the people of Limhi's burdens. However I think it's interesting that after saying how bad things had gotten the very next thing recorded is that 'all this was done that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled.' (Read more in Mosiah to see just how this happened).

In a small way reading this made my burdens seem lighter. I don't know why I was required to be sick for a month, but I do know that the Lord saw a bigger picture and this small thing was required of me so that His will would come to pass.

I share this in the hopes that it might help someone else feel their burdens lighten just a little with the knowledge that the Lord has His hands in all things.