Trust in the Lord during adversity

Linda Cox is a happy woman. She is a life coach, website developer, and active member of the Palmer Chamber of Commerce, with a bachelor’s in social work. She is the mother of eight children and grandmother of 17. She also has multiple sclerosis.

What you’ll notice first about Linda is her ready smile and the gleam in her eyes--like she has a secret. And she does. Linda has found happiness, even amid life with a debilitating disease.

Linda was diagnosed with MS when she was 32. Five years later she experienced loss of mobility and literally could not get up. Her husband, children and friends rallied around her, doing the chores, cooking meals, and offering friendship and time together. How did Linda get through those dark days of immobility, and come to terms with her new reality?

Proverbs 3:5 has been the anchor of Linda’s life: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” She describes how she approaches her life today.

“First is my knowledge that I am a Daughter of God, and that He loves me very much—regardless of anything. His love for me is perfect, and I know that. Second is my understanding that life is a perfect classroom, and that difficulties are not a measure of my value. Difficulties let me grow! Third is my understanding that my life is exactly what God wants it to be. If it was supposed to be something else it would be. There is perfect order in God’s universe, and everything happens for a reason.”

Henry B. Eyring, of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said, “We all must deal with adversity…. it is in the nature of our being human that comfort gives way to distress, periods of good health come to an end, and misfortunes arrive. That aching for an answer to “How could this happen?” becomes even more painful when those struggling include those we love. And it is especially hard for us to accept when those afflicted seem to us to be blameless. My purpose today is to assure you that our Heavenly Father and the Savior live and that They love all humanity. The very opportunity for us to face adversity and affliction is part of the evidence of their infinite love. God gave us the gift of living in mortality so that we could be prepared to receive the greatest of all the gifts of God, which is eternal life.” (See Romans 6:23.)

Linda has found adversity to be a multi-dimensional teacher. “Health issues are not a sign of weakness or personal failure on any level,” Linda says. “Through my life with MS, I am discovering the depth of my power, strength and potential. When I decided to embrace what my life is, and stop suffering because my early expectations about life weren’t being met, I have experienced joy, hope, and excitement. I believe that God and everything in His creation is conspiring to serve and educate me. God and life are actually on my side all the time.”

Linda suggests six ways to find joy in the midst of adversity:

1. “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass… it’s about learning to dance in the rain,” Vivian Green has written.

2. Trust God and all of His creation that they will work together for your good.

3. Understand that both the positive and negative in your life serve to make you a better person.

4. Do all in your power each day to lessen the suffering of others and help and lift everyone you can.

5. Be motivated by your love of life, not your fear of failure.

6. Your life is what it is supposed to be today. Your life as it is today will make you stronger, better, deeper, and more empathic. Shakespeare said, “Expectation is the root of all heartache.” You must allow your expectations to encompass your changing realities.

Today Linda gets around town and her two-story home with the help of a walker. Her treatments encompass healthy living — eating lots of vegetables, swimming, stationary cycling, strength training — and standard multiple sclerosis medications as well as revolutionary treatments including stem cell treatments and electromagnetic field therapy.

She is an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Palmer Chamber of Commerce, and assists with the Colony Christmas Nativity community event. On her web domain LindaGraceOnline.com, she provides services to help others gain self-esteem. On msrelief.com, she shares her journey, treatment information, diet and nutrition information, and makes connections with MS folks worldwide. “My websites have given me a huge community of friends and colleagues. They have let me learn and grow professionally, and offer help and hope to others with MS.”

Life can be very good, even with adversity, when you put your trust in the Lord. Just ask Linda.

Beth Wright is a mother and grandmother, a business owner, and assistant director of public affairs for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.