Nevertheless the Lord Seeth Fit to Chasten His People

Mosiah 23:21 Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to ^achasten his people; yea, he trieth their ^bpatience and their faith.

We don't usually think of being chastened and tried as blessings, but if they're coming from the Lord, they must be.  Of course, the real problem is that we have such a narrow definition of "blessings".  We assume that if it makes us happy, it's a blessing.  If our life is fun and pleasurable, we're being blessed.  

Neal A. Maxwell said:  "Faith ... includes faith in God's developmental purposes, for 'the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith.' (Mosiah 23:21.) Still, some of us have trouble when God's tutoring is applied to us! We plead for exemption more than we do for sanctification." (Ensign, May 1991, p. 90.)

And a quote from President Howard W. Hunter:

"Mormon surely knew that no pain we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God." (Ensign, Nov. 1987, p. 60 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 316)

The Lord has many different ways of blessing us.  He gives us things to make us happy, he gives us commandments to teach us how to follow Him, and He gives us suffering and trials to help us to learn how to be more like Him.

It's very hard to be grateful when things aren't being fun, when our hearts are aching, and when things aren't going as we hoped they would.  Especially when we know we're being obedient and faithful.  This story about Alma and his people is one of the best examples of how the Lord gives us adversity and then helps us through it.  Sometimes He lets us suffer a bit for our own growth, sometimes He leaves the trial on our shoulders, but lightens the load.  And sometimes He removes the test from us.  He heals the sick, He takes away the problem.  But not always.

Sometimes the disease isn't cured, but remains part of our world for the rest of our lives.  Sometimes our darling child isn't healed with a priesthood blessing, and she dies.  At times like these, we are comforted by the faith that the Lord knows what is best for everyone; that He can see the end from the beginning; that He loves us and will ALWAYS bless us in whatever way is best for us.