I Will Strengthen Thee

A couple of days ago my son told me he had a cold and was worried about his mountain bike race for this weekend. In each race the riders start in the position that they finished the last race, and so he would be starting in 13^th in his race of 55 freshman boys. His goal is to gain spots with each race, but he felt that because of his sickness he was “cooked.” Yesterday he still felt sick, but I was surprised when he announced to me that it was 100 percent certain that he could not gain spots. He knew this because he “asked AI” which apparently “told” him through a long computer conversation that because of his sickness he would not be able to do well in the race. He grumbled that because of his sickness he was going to get last place. I offered him a priesthood blessing for healing and he replied, “Will it make it so I gain spots?” I told him I couldn’t promise that, but since he reluctantly agreed I gave him the blessing. I felt strongly that he could have the strength of the Lord to help him beyond his own abilities. Unfortunately, he had a really bad night and couldn’t sleep well because of the cold. He was up at 5:00 and out the door shortly thereafter. And he was sure that he wouldn’t do well because he still felt sick. I encouraged him to pray and tried to tell him that he could have the strength of the Lord to help him. I worried as he took off from the start line, praying that he would indeed feel the strength of the Lord to help him. These words from President Uchtdorf came to my mind: “Jesus Christ is the strength of youth.” I prayed that my son would feel that strength. I know that he did because he finished in 7^th place, way better than he thought he would or ever has done (or that AI thought possible). To me it was a miracle and evidence that the Lord indeed will strengthen us as He promised His people: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10).

            In the most recent general conference, Elder Thierry K. Mutombo told how he was strengthened by the Savior in a time of difficulty. After his fourth child passed away, his family insisted that he and his wife separate. He recounted, “Our extended families gathered and decided, without consulting us, that tradition required Nathalie and me to separate, and they asked me to take my wife’s belongings outside the house because we had lost many children. I went into the house and prayed, asking for strength to face this adversity. The words of the wonderful hymn, written by Emma Lou Thayne, came to my mind: ‘Where can I turn for peace?’” That hymn answers that question with these words: “He, only One.” That is who Elder Mutombo turned to in this difficult time. He continued, “I felt the Savior’s love and His hand lifting me up. I came out with empty hands and told the people who were there, ‘I’m sorry, but Nathalie is my eternal companion. We are striving together to build an eternal family, and the Savior is helping us achieve it.’ They opposed my decision, but exercising my faith in Jesus Christ made me stronger.” Our faith in Jesus Christ doesn’t take away our trials or difficulties, but it can make us stronger so that we can bear them. When Nephi was tied up by his brothers and left to be “devoured by wild beasts,” he didn’t pray that his problems would just go away. Instead, he said to the Lord, “O Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me strength that I may burst these bands with which I am bound.” He prayed for strength, and that’s exactly what he got: “And it came to pass that when I had said these words, behold, the bands were loosed from off my hands and feet, and I stood before my brethren, and I spake unto them again” (1 Nephi 7:16-18). I believe what he meant by that was not that the bands magically were loosened, but through his newfound strength given by the Lord he was able to make them loose. I believe that my son was similarly given strength from the Savior to overcome a challenge that was important to him. Each of us can likewise find help in our struggles as we put our trust in Him and remember that “exercising [our] faith in Jesus Christ makes [our] stronger.”