Throughout our lives we inevitably get stuck in ruts, or have times that are hard, or extremely difficult, rocky, or for some reason, just a struggle. We can very easily get caught up in those moments, and have a serious doubt that there is any divine help available. We struggle to understand the “Why” part of our horrible no good very bad day/week/month/year.  On paper, we can explain it as a “trial”, but when it hits home, and you’re in the thick of it, its the last thing we think of. We just want it to end.

Stonewalls and Stairs

A life of walls in front of me
unending obstacles I see.
Just as one, I finally clear,
another, greater one appears.

And on, and on, I struggle up,
with cramping hands, deep scrapes and cuts,
With not much strength left in my bones,
I struggle up these walls of stone.

I yearn for peace, and rest, at last,
A time to stop, the struggle pass.
But yet, ahead, another wall,
to block my way, my rest forestall

But as I pause, and look behind,
and see the walls that I have climbed.
my thoughts, they come, in quiet peace,
with silent voice my doubts appease.

For plain and simple truth I see,
Im stonger now, my weakness flees,
My walls of stone, that caused despair,
now clearly shown, appear as stairs.

Stairs that lift and guide me up,
toward the One who drank the cup,
Who, for me, has suffered all,
That I might rise, e’en though I fall.

This stair, this wall, that bruises me,
Makes me work, helps me to see,
How struggle cleanses, bends my knees,
and forges true humility.

My life has walls, and rock debris
But if I climb, with Him I’ll be.
And feel His wounds in hands and feet,
And in Him have my rest complete.


We are not alone in this thinking. It has happened before. A lot. To some really faithful people. 

Joseph Smith wrote, “O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place? How long shall thy hand be stayed?”

 Job, after the initiation of his horrible experiences, cursed the day he was born, saying, “Let the day perish wherein I was born.”

Jesus Christ himself asked that the bitter cup be taken from Him if possible.

 So, whats the deal? why is it this way? The answer is…because. Because it makes us into someone we need to be. We need to try and look at these walls placed in front of us in a little different light…..
Our true rest will feel so much better if we are resting from labors overcoming our own human weakness. If we can see the obstacles in our way as a stairway to heaven, we will look forward and upward not down and backward.