A television program I enjoyed watching on occasion when I was a child was “Little House on the Prairie.” Mostly I enjoyed it because of the comedic elements of the show, which primarily included squabbles between the main character and her family and the haughty owner of the town mercantile and her children.

A few months ago, I came across the series on Amazon Prime Video and felt compelled to watch it in its entirety. One of the later episodes of the series centered on a faith struggle of one of the main characters, Charles Ingalls. One of Charles’ adopted sons was in an almost vegetative state after being shot during a bank robbery and Charles was advised to allow him to peacefully pass away. Charles refused to accept that result, believing that God would heal his son.

Charles continued to take care of his son, but because of the emotional toll it took on his family members, all who believed a miracle wasn’t possible, he took his son to a secluded area of the country. After reading Exodus 20:25, Charles felt inspired to erect an altar of stone with a cross affixed to the top.

Time passed, and though Charles’ son remained in the same state, his faith was strengthened one day when an old man appeared and helped feed his son soup from a bowl. Charles hadn’t been able to get his son to take any of the soup and certainly not without the aid of a glass straw. The old man proceeded to walk behind the altar, and as mysteriously as he came, he vanished.

The old man later returned to Charles and told him to go to the altar.

“Will he save my son?” Charles asked.

“Only he knows. And if he doesn’t, will you lose your faith?”

“No.”

“Then go to the altar, my son.”

Charles followed the instruction and his son was healed.

The episode reminded me of the Bible story involving Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego were told that if they wouldn’t fall down and worship the golden image King Nebuchadnezzer set up, they would be thrown into a fiery furnace. The three responded:

“If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

“But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” (Daniel 3:17-18)

They were thrown into the fire, but then the king saw a heavenly being with them and the three miraculously emerged unharmed.

In both stories, people believed that a miracle could happen, but they ultimately expressed even greater faith by acknowledging that they would be faithful even if the miracle didn’t happen.

But, one might say, those are both stories with happy endings. The faith that was expressed truly did result in the miracles, but what about those of us who don’t receive a desired miracle despite expressing great faith, even a commitment to remain faithful without the miracle? Is our faith in God in vain? Does God just not care about us as much as he cares about others, if he even exists at all? Is life just one big game of luck where some people are blessed and other people aren’t without any rhyme or reason to it all? These are questions that I think surely come to the minds of most people who have suffered great tragedies without seeing desired miracles.

Faith in God is not in vain. God does exist and he cares about all of us — individually! We may not fully understand all the reasons why certain tragedies are allowed to happen, but the words of the Book of Mormon prophet Lehi to his son Jacob resonate with me.

“And now, Jacob, I speak unto you: Thou art my firstborn in the days of my tribulation in the wilderness. And behold, in thy childhood thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow, because of the rudeness of thy brethren.

“Nevertheless, Jacob, my firstborn in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain.” (2 Nephi 2:1-2)

During the April 2010 general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder James B. Martino said:

“Our Heavenly Father, who loves us completely and perfectly, permits us to have experiences that will allow us to develop the traits and attributes we need to become more and more Christlike. Our trials come in many forms, but each will allow us to become more like the savior as we learn to recognize the good that comes from each experience. As we understand this doctrine, we gain greater assurance of our Father’s love. We may never know in this life why we face what we do, but we can feel confident that we can grow from the experience.”

Some might say that advice can be easy to give if you haven’t been forced to endure a certain type of suffering. Those people might shout like the atheist professor in the movie “God’s Not Dead”: “Tell that to me the day you lose someone you love.”

Ironically, it’s in part because I’ve lost someone I love that I can say that. Before my wife passed away, I frequently found myself thinking I honestly didn’t know how I could go on without her because she truly was my best friend, even sometimes I thought my only friend. I prayed as hard as I can imagine anyone praying for the miracle of her being healed. I knew without any doubt that God was capable of healing her, and like in the two stories I illustrated, I was committed to not losing my faith even if a miracle didn’t happen. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen. But just before she passed away, I had two memorable experiences that involved the Holy Ghost that caused me to know that though God wasn’t granting the miracle I desired, he was giving me a precious gift that will benefit me for the rest of eternity. As much as I wish I still had my wife here, I am grateful for those experiences. Because of them, I know just as surely as I know I’m breathing that God exists, he loves me and he can help bring something truly spectacular out of something truly horrible. My affliction has been consecrated for my gain.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spoke truth recently in a social media post as he addressed his personal health struggles. He said:

“The old adage is, ‘Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity.’ We won’t discover just how much strength we do have until it is tested, refined, and tested again. Often–perhaps usually–it is the difficult, demanding times of our lives that are the growth periods–the defining periods. They are the ones that take us from who we are now to who we are meant to be.”

And, frankly, none of us has suffered more than Heavenly Father had to suffer when he permitted his only begotten Son to suffer “the pain of all men.” (Doctrine and Covenants 18:11). I felt bad one night this week when my son told me he had a stomachache. I cannot comprehend how much anguish Heavenly Father must have felt when his son suffered all that he did. But look at all the good that came after it. Jesus was resurrected, and because of that, all of us will be resurrected. All of us have a chance at eternal life with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ because of it. Though obviously on a much, much smaller scale, God can bring magnificent wonders from the sufferings in our lives.

I would say that’s a miracle.

Contact Ryan Comer at rcomer@standard.net. Follow him on Twitter at @rbcomer8388 and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rbcomer8388.

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