Alma 32:13 And now, because ye are compelled to be humble blessed are ye; for a man sometimes, if he is compelled to be humble, seeketh repentance; and now surely, whosoever repenteth shall find mercy; and he that findeth mercy and endureth to the end the same shall be saved.
There can be great blessings that flow from hardship, particularly when that hardship produces humility. However, what about a life in which the hardship seems unceasing, and the humility itself lapses into depression as a person seems to face extinction? In cases like these, which might be fearfully growing in frequency, we have many examples in the church. One of the foremost is the pioneers, who sang “All is Well.” This indicates some necessary ingredients to have a successful endurance against smothering tribulations:
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Hope and Faith and Charity. That is, the personal spiritual qualities to pull through. Any of these three is always present in some degree, and can always be improved.
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A support system that posesses #1. The pioneers were surrounded by those who were in the same situation and, at least some of them, demonstrated unbroken faith, or hope, or charity. In this scripture, Alma and Amulek provided the insurgence of these virtues which might otherwise have remained undeveloped.
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Gratitude and an eye to beauty still present. For the pioneers, they relied upon music and found other small joys to brighten the landscape of tribulation. For those Alma is teaching, they must find other experiences of joy, such as the novelty of feeling the Spirit and making covenants and learning scripture.
Resources
- Alma 32:13, where Alma identifies those whose persecution has begun to birth humility. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/32?lang=eng#p13
- Flower in the desert from Mélisande: https://www.flickr.com/photos/melisande-origami/162467029