Cover image: Yongsung Kim, “I Will Give You Rest,” https://havenlight.com/.
Have you ever had anguish of mind, heart, and soul where you feel that all is lost or broken? Those deep dark moments are the EXACT times that Christ can change our spiritual trajectory and lift us to new heights of awareness. Marvel at these extraordinary experiences…
From Anger and Loss of Faith to Epiphany
Many years ago, one of my best friends and her husband left the Church in a series of circumstances that would try anyone’s faith. I felt crushed because she had always been an anchor for me. I remember feeling furious at God as I slammed my fist down and demanded answers.
“Why did you let this happen to her! She was SO faithful! It’s not fair!
As my rage grew and accusations spewed out, I began to feel myself deteriorating physically with overwhelming symptoms of Chronic Fatigue which had plagued me in years past. It was devastating to realize I may again need to be flat in bed for many months. With hot accusatory tears on my face, I was suffering emotionally, and now physically. I felt I was spiraling down out of control.
At this crucial moment in time, I heard profound words in my mind,
“Anne, DON’T REJECT THE LORD! He is the ONLY one that is MIGHTY TO SAVE AND MIGHTY TO HEAL!
As I heard those words my heart was pierced to the core, and I began sobbing. I then felt myself being gently lifted out of that negative spiral and tenderly filled with instantaneous healing and peace.
I consider that a momentous miracle in my life.
The Lord often helps us when we’re at the end of our rope. That’s what He does…
From Emotional Destruction and Torment to Joy and Peace
Shelli D. is one of the strongest women that I know! When she was a little girl, she experienced extreme ritual abuse and it nearly destroyed her life because of the trauma and emotional complications it created. She had to have 18 years of therapy as well as much prayer and pleading to the Lord.
One day she had a breakthrough and felt that the Lord intervened. She writes:
“During the most distressing, difficult time of my life, I went to the temple every Thursday morning to plead for help from the Lord.
One morning, I was sitting in the small women’s chapel/meeting room of the Denver Temple. As I quietly sat alone, lost in thought. I suddenly experienced something remarkable. I heard the words:
‘YOU WILL RISE ABOVE ALL OF THIS ONE DAY!
“This was followed by a light-filled, buoyant feeling of being lifted up above the earth and the misery I had been enduring. I was then slowly filled with the beginnings of hope of healing and a wonderful peacefulness.
“I’ve thought back on this moment time after time. It has sustained me. Jesus experienced all of the darkness and suffering imaginable — but just long enough to get the job done. He didn’t linger. I could ignore the flashbacks, darkness and the feelings of panic, but I choose to face them and feel the pain as I inched my way toward healing. Jesus went into the darkness and came out. So have I, with His help! [iii]
The Lord was mighty to heal Shelli as she applied Christ’s At-one-ment into her life.
Elder Uchtdorf taught,
“Though you may feel that no one can understand the depth of your despair, our Savior, Jesus Christ, understands. He suffered more than we can possibly imagine, and He did it for us; He did it for you. You are not alone.”[iv]
Death of Husband and Left with 10 Small Children
Many years ago, Margaret lost her husband to a sudden illness leaving her with TEN children at home, under the age of 17. It was a brutal blow. To make matters worse, their payment to his life insurance policy wasn’t received in time, and therefore no money was obtainable in a settlement. Without warning, she was forced to carry the entire financial as well as emotional burden of her large family. What was she going to do? How was she going to do it?
As she was agonizing about her situation, she had a powerful spiritual experience. She unexpectedly heard her dead husband’s voice. He was speaking as if from the pre-existence, and she heard him say,
“I will go down. I will marry Margaret and we will have ten children. I will then die, so that Margaret can learn to understand the Atonement!”[v]
WOW! What a singular experience,- orchestrated to teach Margaret the lesson of her life.
Margaret told me that she felt the Lord’s hand all along the way, with what seemed like an impossible, and overwhelming situation. She felt her pain and circumstances “swallowed up” in Christ, as she experienced His tender mercies. She understands His Atonement as few do.
Shelli, and Margaret were placed in situations where they had to “sink or swim.” They absolutely knew they couldn’t get through their gut-wrenching experiences without intervention on Christ’s part.
As we focus on Christ, we will find solutions to our problems at a higher and holier level. He will fight our battles and restore our souls. He is the only one that is mighty to save, and mighty to heal!
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[i] Russell M. Nelson, “Christ Is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains,” April Conference 2021
[iii] Shelli D. personal conversations and correspondence. Used with permission.
[iv] Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Your Happily Ever After,” Ensign, May 2010
[v] Margaret, personal conversations. Used with permission.
