All is well

I thought today I would do something so totally unexpected as to surprise everyone. Today I include in my post one of my favorite Hymns from church. To those who don’t know, I was converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at the tender age of twelve. I haven’t always lived the way a proper Mormon should live, but I am still a Mormon.
My favorite hymn from the Church, however, is one that should appeal to anyone, regardless of demoninational faith.

Come, Come, Ye Saints;
Come, come, ye Saints, no toil nor labor fear;
but with joy wend your way.
Though hard to you this journey may appear,
Grace shall be as your day
Tis better far for us to strive
Our useless cares from us to drive;
Do this, and joy, your hearts will swell- all is well! All is well!

Why should we morn, or think our lot is hard?
Tis not so; all is right.
Why should we think to earn a great reward
If we now shun the fight?
Gird up your loins; fresh courage take.
Our God will never us forsake;
And soon we’ll have this tale to tell- All is well! All is well!

We’ll find the place which God for us prepared,
far away in the West.
Where none shall come to hurt or make afraid;
There the Saints will be blessed.
We’ll make the air with music ring,
Shout praises to our God and King;
Above the rest these words we’ll tell- All is well! All is well!

And should we die before our journey’s through,
Happy day! All is well!
We then are free from toil and sorrow, too;
with the just we shall dwell!
But if our lives are spared again
To see the Saints their rest obtain,
Oh, how we’ll make this chorus swell- All is well! All is well!

There is, contained in this Hymn, written by William Clayton (1814-1879) a message of hope. For even though many Saints died on the difficult trail to the place that is now the heart of the Church, they were able to keep hope and joy alive in their hearts. If so many people, travelling west through such rugged territory, pushing and pulling their handcarts can retain joy, even in the face of loss, hardship, and adversity, how then can we fail to do the same?

If you don’t know anything about it, that’s ok. It’s not a prerequisite. Just think about all the difficulties that people all over the planet have endured. All the lifetimes of hardship that have passed, while faith in God endures.

Who then, are we, to decide that God is not worthy of our praise for the minor difficulties that we must endure in our lives? We have so many conveniences, there have been so many medical advances that our lives have been made far easier. So whenever you start thinking about how difficult your lives are, just take a moment to remember the words of this song, and remember the people the song was written regarding. Their lives were far harder than ours could be.