Why Suffering? Why Pain?

Everyone asks, "Why me?" or "Why do righteous people have to suffer?" These are few of hardest questions out there. However, I realized why as I was reading Look Up, My Soul (you should get used to me talking about this book for a while). Elder Lund said, "Why does God allow such things? Why doesn't He interfere or intervene? The truth is that He does intervene many times and in many ways-softening the effects, blessing those who suffer, answering earnest prayers-but the only way He could totally eliminate such suffering would be to remove the agency of man, and He won't do that."

I have asked myself those questions before and I have complained about every bad thing I had to go through. However, He never took them away from me but let me suffer because He loves me. I had to make my own choices at times and learn from my mistakes. If I didn't experience consequences of my own choices, I would not be where I am now.

"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, blessed art thou for what thou hast done; for thou hast inquired of me, and behold, as often as thou hast inquired thou hast received instruction of my Spirit. If it had not been so, thou wouldst not have come to the place where thou art at this time." -Doctrine and Covenants 6:14-

Because I made choices, I have come to where I am now. Even if I made wrong choices, even if I made good choices, even if I made better choices, whatever the case might be, I am here because of the choices I have made.

I am grateful that the Lord lets me choose for myself so that I can have experiences in my life that will strengthen me and help me grow spiritually. I choose hope by seeking God when I feel overwhelmed by trials. That's how I grow and that's how I use hope in my life.