There’s an old Chinese tale about a wise farmer whose horse ran away.
Neighbors rallied. “Oh, that’s awful,” they said. “Such terrible luck.”
“We’ll see,” the farmer said.
The next morning his horse came back, bringing two wild horses with it.
“Wonderful!” the neighbors said. “How fortunate you are! Now you have three horses.”
“We’ll see,” answered the farmer.
The next day his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg.
Again the neighbors rushed in with sympathy. “What terrible luck,” they said. “Now your son cannot help with the farming.”
“We’ll see,” said the old farmer.
The next week, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son’s leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out. “Such great news. You must be so happy!”
The man smiled to himself. “Maybe, maybe not. We’ll see.”
This story is a good one to remember when we jump to conclusions, or when we judge too quickly.
Taking the long view can save us great distress when life’s disappointments come to call. If we react with hysteria at every stroke of misfortune, we can become an emotional wreck. Instead, we should take necessary action, but always exercise faith that God knows the best resolution. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, “Darkness will not gain victory over the light of Christ.” How true this is, and how vital it is to remember it when troubles mount.
We all know people who were unfairly laid off from work—who later said it was the best thing that ever happened to them, because it led them to find their dream job. People get dumped in a romance only to discover the true love of their life a month later. Dozens of setbacks turn into blessings.
When you look at the difficulties you’ve endured—financial setbacks, health challenges, relationship disasters—perhaps you’ve learned incredible lessons that better prepare you for heaven. Often, we gain positive traits that can only be learned through tribulation.
Sometimes the only way to learn how to get your priorities in order is to lose what was taking your whole focus. Fame, power, wealth—none of these go with us to the next life, and they can create significant damage right here, if we’re aren’t extremely careful.
Occasionally, it takes an extremely trying circumstance, a monumental sacrifice, to teach us patience, perseverance, and self-discipline. Parents of special-needs children develop compassion and understanding beyond our imagination. Their other children do, as well. In fact, these families often actually seem to glow.
Frustrating events can teach us to manage anger. Terrible betrayals can teach us how to forgive. Shameful actions of our own can school us in humility and repentance. Life is filled with lessons, not all of them pleasant, but all of them essential. When we feel overcome with despair, let’s remember what Elder Neil L. Anderson assured us, “All will be made right.”
Sometimes we go the other way, too. We have such easy lives, showered with blessings and pleasure, that we become complacent. We stop striving, growing, or developing a relationship with our Father in Heaven. Satan keeps us lulled into a state of contentment and self-satisfaction. We don’t mature. We don’t help others. We just drift along until disaster strikes and then we are completely unprepared.
The key to this story, and to the New Year, really, is to take the long view. As President Nelson has advised us, “Think Celestial.”
If we keep our eye on the ultimate goal, we will not be defeated by a mortal calamity, but instead, be driven to enlist God’s help. Likewise, we will not grab hold of a fleeting feather of fame or popularity, but see it in its true perspective, as something that fades, not something of eternal value. We will look for the lesson in each trial, and in each windfall as well.
Assuming the worst– or the best– will fade into a wiser, more moderate view of how life’s pendulum swings. We will find our joy in Christ, and in serving His children. We will spot Satan’s tactics and avoid them. When storms mount and adversity arrives, we will stand strong on a foundation of faith.
Paul was under house arrest when he jubilantly wrote to the Saints, to live in the “peace that passeth all understanding.” (Philippians 4:7) Like this early apostle, we will finally be able to rejoice, despite our circumstances, if we build a firm foundation on Christ, and the promises that await.
Hilton teaches Seminary. She is also an award-winning playwright, and the author of many best-selling Latter-day Saint books. Those, her humor blog, and YouTube Mom videos can be found on her website.
