For Part One, Part Two or Part Four, choose the appropriate link.
In Ezra Taft Benson's talk from the April 1971 General Conference, he references the importance of hanging on when things go wrong. Because things will always go wrong, regardless of whether we worship God or not. Life going wrong is what life does sometimes.
He quotes a poem in this regard:
The Quote
“What though the skies seem dark today,
Tomorrow’s will be blue;
When every cloud has cleared away
God’s providence shines through.”
(Author Unknown)
I tried to see if I could find this quote. Even went to ChatGPT to ask. It came back that the author was really, truly unknown. Maybe it's hallucinating, maybe not. But whoever wrote this little nugget of wisdom is lost to history.
The idea that, if we are good and do what God says, our life will always be nice and peaceful, is really us oversimplifying life.
But whenever the sun sets, it also rises again. Life is cyclical in nature for everyone, and we deal here with sickness, sorrows, and deaths - whether actual physical deaths, or deaths of expectations.
Sometimes we may feel that we can't physically go on, but then, if I lean on the Lord, somehow things work out and life gets bright again. Hope springs up, over and over, if we can get through the dark times.
I find that fiction can be useful in this way as well as scripture, to give us a way of working our way through difficult times through story.
Some stories that emphasize an innocent character who comes to a hopeful upswing after a lot of suffering include:
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Innocent character: Jane Eyre
Suffering: Orphaned, abused by relatives and school authorities, heartbroken by Mr. Rochester’s betrayal.
Hopeful ending: Jane inherits money, gains independence, and returns to a humbled Rochester; they marry for love and mutual respect.
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
Innocent character: Jean Valjean (reformed man) and Cosette (pure-hearted girl)
Suffering: Valjean is relentlessly pursued despite changing his life; Cosette is abused as a child.
Hopeful ending: Cosette finds love with Marius; Valjean dies peacefully knowing his sacrifices gave them a future.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Innocent character: Mary Lennox and Colin Craven
Suffering: Mary is neglected and orphaned; Colin is physically weak and emotionally stifled.
Hopeful ending: The garden’s magic and friendship heal both children emotionally and physically.
Heidi by Johanna Spyri
Innocent character: Heidi
Suffering: Taken away from her beloved grandfather and home in the Alps to live in the city.
Hopeful ending: Heidi returns to the mountains, and her kindness brings healing to others, including Clara, who learns to walk.
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
Innocent character: David Copperfield
Suffering: Endures the death of loved ones, a cruel stepfather, poverty, and betrayal.
Hopeful ending: Becomes a successful writer, finds lasting love, and builds a happy life.
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Innocent character: Sara Crewe
Suffering: Orphaned and reduced to a servant in her former school after once being wealthy.
Hopeful ending: Her father’s friend finds her and restores her to comfort, honoring her resilience and kindness.
Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter
Innocent character: Pollyanna
Suffering: Orphaned and severely injured in an accident.
Hopeful ending: Her joyful attitude transforms her town, and she regains the use of her legs with the help of the community she inspired.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Innocent character: Beth March (and the March sisters generally)
Suffering: Beth dies young; the family faces war, poverty, and heartbreak.
Hopeful ending: The remaining sisters grow into fulfilled, happy lives, each pursuing dreams and love in their own way.
Silas Marner by George Eliot
Innocent character: Silas Marner and Eppie
Suffering: Silas is falsely accused, betrayed, and lives in isolation until he adopts Eppie.
Hopeful ending: Eppie brings joy and redemption to Silas’s life, and they live happily in a loving home.
All of these stories have also been made into movies or plays, if reading isn't your thing. If you haven't explored some or all of these in whatever format you prefer, I recommend them highly.
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