Learning from Life’s Imperfect Days – September 24, 2000
Most of us fondly recall and treasure certain days in our lives. Such memories include days when goals were achieved, events enjoyed with family and friends, and times when life’s circumstances were better than they are right now. It’s easy to be happy on life’s perfect days, and to wish every day was like them. However, mortal life was never intended to be easy, or constantly pleasant.
The same God who gives us so much to enjoy also knows that His children learn and grow from difficult choices, soul-stretching challenges, and heartfelt sorrows. Each of us will experience dark days when loved ones die, times when health or possessions are lost, and feelings of being forsaken or taken for granted.
Some clouds in life are so dark that we fail to see their silver lining. Of such difficult circumstances, Orson F. Whitney said: “No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. . . . All that we suffer and all that we endure . . . builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us . . . more worthy to be called the children of God.”1 Perspective comes from realizing that our loving Heavenly Father is not trying to give us perfect days; He is trying to help us become perfect people.
Most of us tend to focus on life’s imperfections—failing to realize that, while few days in our lives are perfect, most are perfectly suited to making us better people. Every day of life is a precious gift, which is best enjoyed by looking for what’s delicious and sweet instead of counting life’s injustices, or regretting and reliving the past.
Realizing that life is intended to give us an education, not a vacation, we can learn to cherish the perfect parts of even our most difficult days. Our Father in Heaven knows that the lessons we learn from life’s imperfect days will prepare us to live with Him again in a place where every day is perfect.
Program #3710
1. As quoted by Spencer W. Kimball, Tragedy or Destiny? (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1977), 4.