Sunday, May 24, 2020

Hardened or Softened


One section of the Book of Mormon tells of a lengthy conflict between two nations. It lasted many years. As this verse says, it affected different people in different ways, even those belonging to the same nation and who were suffering the same hardships.

The pandemic we are currently experiencing is comparable to a war, or any other long-term event that causes widespread suffering, and we see the same pattern repeat itself: some are of those affected are becoming hardened, cynical, hopeless, or selfish, while others are becoming more softened, caring, sensitive, and generous. We should all strive for the latter. To be clear, allowing ourselves to be "softened" doesn't mean we won't suffer, nor does it mean we don't take care of or protect ourselves and our families. Rather, it means that when we do suffer, we don't allow ourselves to become bitter and we remember to take care of others around us, to the extent possible. This has the added benefit of reinforcing a sense of control over our situation, which in turn empowers us to grow from our trials. If we ever feel ourselves becoming hardened by our trials, one of the best remedies is to serve others who are also suffering. By so doing, we'll be helping them and ourselves.

Stay hopeful. This current trial won't last for ever. Neither will any others that will come in the future. We have the ability to come out the other side better than we were before it started.