We all go through hard things in life, but when we make time to help other people, we can better overcome difficulty.
Photo by Sasin Tipchai
Someone who has never struggled through hard times has never lived. We all face challenges, and many of them are not easily fixed. Trials and challenges are part of life, and sometimes even necessary for growth, but it doesn’t make them any more pleasant to go through.
Being kind to others when you are struggling is one of the most selfless acts a person can do. Some of the most well-renowned examples of this were done by Jesus Christ, who worked to comfort his friends and family as he was dying on the cross. David A. Bednar spoke of Christ’s example in his general conference talk “A Christlike Character”: “Recognizing that He Himself was about to intensely and personally experience the absence of both comfort and peace,… [Christ] reached outward and offered to others the very blessings that could and would have strengthened Him.” While the examples in our own lives aren’t likely to be so drastic as those in Jesus’s, we can still learn from Christ’s character and do our best to always reach out to those around us.
When we’re struggling, it’s natural to focus on ourselves, and it can be beneficial when it helps us to resolve the problems we’re facing. For instance, if we’re having a hard time learning a complex topic in a class, then taking the time to study, seeking out help, and getting enough sleep can only be beneficial. However, constantly turning inward can also lead to dwelling on our problems, sinking into despair, or missing signs of other people struggling around us. We must not get so caught up in our own struggles that we ignore the people around us. Noticing what others are going through and doing our best to help them brightens both their lives and our own. Helping other people provides us with a sense of accomplishment and progress, helps us feel like we’re making a difference, and gives us hope that there’s a way to resolve our own problems.
Read more about developing a Christlike character through compassion in Elder David A. Bednar’s Liahona article “A Christlike Character.”
Source: Liahona
—Eliza Kimball, Latter-day Saint Insights
FEATURE IMAGE BY RUSTU BOZKUS
Find more insights
Read or watch Elder Jose L. Alonso’s talk “Love One Another as He Has Loved Us” for more discussion on serving others with love.
Or take a look at the Latter-day Saint Insights article “Finding Comfort in Times of Sorrow” for more discourse about helping those going through difficult times.