For quite some time I have felt so much sorrow every time I hear about children being abused, or neglected. My heart hurts so bad for these innocent beings. I cry and cry and my husband does his best to console me. I haven't been able to look beyond this earth, to the bigger picture if things. In my heart, I feel their pain. I feel like it's so unfair!
We happened upon a scripture this morning as my family was reading the Book of Mormon that has eased my mind and my heart. I know I will call upon these verses of scripture whenever I feel my heart start to break again.
Alma 14; verses 10 &11:
10 And
when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who were consuming
in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we
witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and
exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames.
11 But
Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch
forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory;
and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may
do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that
the judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day.
So what I gather from those verses is that all of us have our freedom of choice and action and the Lord gave us that gift when we came to earth. Therefore He will not always interject and save those who are suffering at the hand of someone else, because they have glory waiting for them at death's hand, and their suffering will be minimal. Those who choose to harm another on this earth will receive their just judgment at the last day.
