Adversity is rooted in the problem of evil—if God is good, then why does he allow evil to exist? Or if “man is that he might have joy,” why is there so much suffering in life? And worse, it often seems like for some the suffering is “but a moment”, while for others the suffering continues lifelong. While our theological explanations of why this happens make logical sense, they often come across as either blaming the victims or minimizing the suffering. Worse still, too often we explain the suffering as a way of giving ourselves license to ignore it.

George Handley suggests that the highly regarded LDS humanitarian, Lowell Bennion had a better approach: “He knew we could make a mess of things theologically when we tried to make sense of why things happen, which is why he believed that we are on safer terrain morally by simply accepting the responsibility to act in the face of suffering and injustice.” Simply put, the ‘why something happened’ isn’t nearly as important as the ‘what are we going to do about it.’

Nevertheless, both our scriptures—the D&C sections around Joseph Smith’s imprisonment in Liberty Jail in this case—and Mormon poetry have sought to explain adversity. And often these explanations are helpful because we understand that God loves us, and that He is just, and what He is doing is often inscrutable. Its the last part that leads to the idea that maybe we don’t need to figure out the details, and we should just figure out the best way to react.

 

With God, adversity can “be for [my] good.”

Section 121 is a great example of the depths of adversity and suffering. As Joseph Smith lies in Liberty Jail, the Saints in Missouri are being chased across the state, expelled by order of the governor. The reports Joseph received were perhaps more difficult than his imprisonment, leading to his scriptural cry, “O God, where art thou?”

The answer that Joseph received was what he needed, and what we often need today—the hope that the suffering will have some benefit. For what it’s worth, my google image search on adversity led to hundreds of images, almost all of which showed some kind of triumph or positive benefit from adversity. So yes, I believe its still what we need today.

I don’t know who the author of the following poem is. It’s possible that it was the editor of the Millennial Star in 1845, when the poem was published, Thomas Ward. Unfortunately, Ward’s story after this poem was published was rather tragic, as he was mired in controversy, released as editor and as British Mission President, and then died shortly thereafter. As the poem suggests, the ‘bow in the cloud’ is sometimes in the next life.

 

There’s a Bow in the Cloud

Author unknown

Children of earth, who in darkness and sorrow

Are pining the last of existence away,

Without e’en a flower for the tomb of to-morrow,

Or blessings to cheer you while yet it is day,

Oh, stedfastly turn to yon beautiful heaven,

Where stars, round the throne of the Deity crowd,

And learn that, though trial and anguish are given,

For those who will trust there’s a bow in the cloud.

 

The fond and the faithful, in death are they sleeping,

Do cherished ones leave you, and friendships decay,

Are the waves of adversity over you sweeping,

And the dew-drops of hope all dissolving away?

Too often the heart-breaking pang of affliction

Subdues e’en the spirit most prone to be proud;

Yet why should it stifle the rooted conviction—

Which tells us there still is a bow in the cloud.

 

Whatever the evils in life that betide yon,

The thunder may roll, and the tempest may rave,

There’s a power in all seasons to govern and guide you,

A hand to protect, and an ark that can save I

No matter the country, the clime, or the feature,

In palace exalted, or slavery bow’d,

The glory of God, and the joy of the creature,

Is, when at the worst, there’s a bow in the cloud.

1845

 

True power and influence are based on “the principles of righteousness.”

Religion itself, as the following poem mentions, faces adversity, and perhaps, because of that, religion as practiced on the earth is improving into what the Lord actually teaches. And when it is True, that is, what the Lord teaches, then it is has tremendous power, to “bind intelligence with matter”, “redeem by Christ’s atoning blood”, “renovate from evil”, and “bestow moral fitness,”—all what the poet Thomas Ward describes.

This poem was written a couple of years before the preceding poem, and was signed by Ward. Somehow, I think, it demonstrates the odd situation that religion is in today—abused, yet glorious; and human, but with a core of divinity that can help all of us endure the adversity we face in life.

 

Sonnet to Religion

by Thomas Ward

Religion! much abused, yet glorious theme;

The enthusiast’s life—the zealot’s all;

The abused of every tribe; and yet

The glorious plan by which heaven deigns

To bind intelligence with matter; when

With knowledge like as Gods, of good and ill,

And thus redeemed by Christ’s atoning blood,

Man shall receive a fulness of that power

Which renovates from evil, and bestows

A moral fitness for a throne on high!

O! let me drink life’s waters from thyself,

Nor rest content with earth’s polluted streams.

1843

 

Jesus Christ has descended below all things so that He can lift me up.

For us, as Christians, the ultimate example of adversity is the suffering of Christ and the ability of that sacrifice to redeem us. As a type of adversity, it shows the same pattern that I saw in all those images—the ultimate triumph after a struggle. What is different is that the struggle is by Christ, not by us—so His gift to us is a triumph over sin that enables us to triumph also.

The author of this hymn was the president of the Cincinnati Branch for 32 years. A native of Sweden, he immigrated to Utah in 1882, and married later that same year. It was while he lived in Cincinnati that he wrote this poem.

 

O Savior Dear

by Charles V. Anderson

O Savior dear, who bore my sin,

And bled and died that I might win

A glorious place in heav’n above –

O what a wondrous, wondrous love.

Give Thou me strength, I humbly pray,

To walk the straight and narrow way;

To bear my cross, whate’er it be,

And put my trust and hope in Thee.

O fill my soul with heaven’s light,

That I may love the cause of right,

And do Thine will, and praise Thy name,

And lift some soul from sin and shame.

And when my time shall come to go,

And leave all things on earth below,

Grant then that I Thy voice may hear,

And dwell with Thee, O Savior dear.

1922

 

“Let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power.”

If Lowell Bennion is right, that we should focus on what we can do to make things better rather than why they went wrong, then I think that it makes possible to approach what we do with a happy mindset. Relieved of the burden of the past, the future will seem bright.

Adversity is then nothing more than the tasks necessary to accomplish what we want to do. It isn’t, as the following poem suggests, “the half fictious burden of care.” Instead, “within we can feel happy still.” Poet William G. Mills suggests therefore that adversity is in the exterior of the situation, and what really matters is found inside, “within” the situation, in the present as we work to do the good.

 

Let Us Try to be Happy

by William G. Mills

Let us try to be happy––there is

Enough in this world to impart

The feelings of pleasure and bliss,

To the saddest and gloomiest heart:

Though the day may be dark, and the wind

Sweep around like a spirit of wrath.

There’s the sun and the blue sky design’d

Soon to smile and enliven our path.

 

Let us try to be happy, and shake

Off the half fictious burden of care;

If we whine till our poor hearts should break,

It will make things bat worse than they are.

We most know what is sorrow and pain,

Peace, pleasure, and health to enjoy;

Then cheerfully courage maintain;

Though we feel care and she, shall we die?

 

Let us try to be happy––a smile

Can gladden those hearts full of gloom;

Though the sun may not shine for a while,

A taper can lighten the room.

Whate’er may surround our lone path,

Has always a charm, if we’re power,

Like the bee, out of garden and heath,

To sip honey from every flower.

 

Let us try to be happy––not wait

Till all things are just to our will;

It ne’er will be so in this state,

But within we can feel happy still:

Like the Great Source of Being, whose Love

Designs all His creatures to bless,

Though they sin, and rebellious oft prove,

It mars not His pure happiness.

 

Then let us be happy––we may,

If we seek for the Spirit aright:

‘Twill drive all our troubles away,

The yoke we must bear will make light,

‘Tis the secret of life for us all;

‘Tis med’cine for young and for old;

‘Tis the alchemist’s stone, without fail,

That turns all base metal to gold.

1853