What should we look forward to after tribulations?

Good Morning, Good Afternoon, or Good Evening, 

this post should take approximately four to seven minutes to read from start to finish.

As individuals, we may or may not often forget why we face many difficulties and trials throughout our lives. Are we too caught up what the world expects of us to do? A.k.a are we following Satan's plan to feel misery and pain?

Do we acknowledge the blessings that comes sometime after we face a difficulty or a trial in our lives? Do we ever thank our father in Heaven for always being wherever we need him through gratitude prayer?

A few blessings comes straight away, some blessings comes sometime way after than we expected, and some blessings just doesn't come in this life.

At multiple times throughout some places where I've worked at, it would be raining very heavy. I often get scared and worried that I may get into a car accident. I also did worried about the drivers around me if they would crash into me because of them not driving safely in the conditions. I did remembered to pray for the rain to stop and eventually the rain stop. I felt disbelief at first and then I felt so much gratitude that the rain has stopped.

"For after much tribulation, come the blessings." - D&C 58:4.

This post is based on October 1979 General Conference talk and it is called, "After Much Tribulation, Come the Blessings" by Adney Y. Komatsu. I would like to share with you some highlights while I was reading the talk, I hope you learn something new as you read this post. I know that he has shared wonderful quotes throughout his talk.

"President Kimball stated: “The Lord has not promised us freedom from adversity or affliction. Instead, he has given us the avenue of communication known as prayer, whereby we might humble ourselves and seek his help and divine guidance, so that we could establish a house of prayer.”

President Kimball also said: “They who reach down into the depths of life where, in the stillness, the voice of God has been heard, have the stabilizing power which carries them poised and serene through the hurricane of difficulties” - Ensign, May 1979.

.. A few years ago in Japan, a stake was being organized from a mission district. In the course of an interview, the district president stated that he would shortly be moving to another city where he had accepted a promotion with his company to become the manager of their largest branch. But the Lord wanted this man to serve as the new stake president. He was called before the General Authority who inquired whether his superiors would reconsider the promotion and allow him to remain in the city where he might be able to serve his church in this very important position.

Immediately the district president stated that he had given his word to his superiors who had already made changes in all of the branches in the company, except in the branch that he was to supervise. He had asked for a delay of his assignment until after the organization of the stake. Notwithstanding this explanation, the General Authority asked the district president if he would be kind enough to contact his superiors with this request and then notify him of the results. Late that night I received a call from the district president.

His employer had been understandably dismayed by his request to remain in the city and reconsider the promotion. The company president asked him to seriously think again about his request and then to call him back in five minutes. In that short interval of time, he would be forced to make a decision that would affect the rest of his life. At that moment he called to ask my advice. My reply to him was that the Lord had sent one of his Apostles to organize a stake of Zion in Japan.

If he had to give his answer to the Lord himself, would it be any different? He thanked me, then called his employer. Early the next morning, he came to the mission home and was officially called as the new stake president. When the General Authority inquired about his status with the company, the district president responded that his promotion was canceled and that he would have to accept whatever they decided to give him.

Before he left, the General Authority blessed this man and stated that although he would go through a period of trials and tribulations at work, the time would come when he would be called upon by his employer to help make great and important decisions for his company, because he had made a decision to serve the Lord rather than to accept personal gain. A few years later, this man still a stake president became the assistant to the president of his company, fulfilling the promise made by an Apostle of the Lord. How great is our reward as we faithfully endure our afflictions and sufferings of this life!

We are promised, as the Prophet Joseph was promised, “Thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment. .. 

Orson F. Whitney said: “No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God … and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven” - cited in Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1972.

May we endure our trials and sufferings well. May we look to the Lord with faith in his righteous judgment ..
If you would like to read this talk in your own time, here's the link below.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1979/10/after-much-tribulation-come-the-blessings

Stay Tuned until next time.