What profound insights into how the Lord works and his infinite love for us.
Dennis Ashton, former assistant commissioner of LDS Family Services, explained some falsehoods in regard to tribulation. These included: God is the only source of my suffering, I am the only source of my suffering, God removes all suffering from the righteous, and offering advice is the first step in helping others who are suffering.
He said one shouldn’t blame God for challenges and losses in life. Quoting Elder Neal A. Maxwell, who was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Dennis Ashton said although God can foresee trials, one should recognize that He does not necessarily cause them.
“God is never surprised by a new arrival in the spirit world, but Him causing them to be there is different than Him knowing they would be there that day,” Dennis Ashton said. “The kind of pain and anguish that people go through wondering why God has done this to them—what have they done wrong, where have they fallen short—is really, really damaging.”