40 Day Walk with Christ - Day 8

Read Mosiah 16-22
Mark & Ponder Mosiah 2:17
Scripture of the day: "And thou shall love the Lord they God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." (Deut 6:5)
Thought for the day: "Surely every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord is precious. So each word in this name must be important--divinely designed for a reason." (Russell M Nelson, speaking about the name of the church)

Why do we have trials/tribulations/afflictions/etc? 
1.  We need them to learn and grown
2.  The agency of others
3.  Because of our own iniquity
4.  Because they are part of the moral experience

I personally don't really like trials, tribulations, or afflictions.  I would like to limit mine to those I absolutely need or those I can't do anything about.  I can't change the fact that I'm living a mortal experience and with that comes trials (ie hunger).  Somethings are hard to go through but just part of life.  I can't change anything that happens to me because of the choices of others (and the Lord won't take away their agency). I don't want to stop anything that I need to become more like the Savior and will help me to live with Him again.  But I can do something about the trials I put myself through because of my own choices, my own iniquity.  There have been multiple times in my life where I've thought to myself "Mindy, you need to do better before the Lord gives you a trial just so you'll remember Him and do what He's asked you to do."  The Lord won't take away our agency. He let's us choose the way in which we live our lives.  But we can't choose the consequences.  Following Satan ALWAYS comes with consequences.  The Lord loves us and wants us to come back and live with Him again.  So while He lets us choose how to live our lives that doesn't mean He won't try to remind us of Him and what we should be doing.  Nothing brings us to our knees faster than trials.  I think I'd rather get on my knees on my own.