No family is perfect. We all wrestle with difficult emotions when our loved ones suffer or make choices that don’t bring happiness. We may wonder how God’s plan fits in with our specific family conflict and heartbreak, especially when improvement or change doesn’t seem possible.
If you’re struggling with your family situation, these five talks can elevate your perspective and help you find peace in daily life. You and your family members are never beyond the reach of the Savior’s love, comfort, and redemptive power. However broken your family may seem, hope is always possible.
When Life’s Surprises Are Unpleasant
“Surprise”—Jennifer Kearon
Sister Jennifer Kearon shares a life-changing insight in this Brigham Young University devotional: God the “Father only gives bread, never stones. … All things, even the surprises, will eventually be for [our] good.” If we continually keep our covenants, pray, and believe, God has promised that even our hardest and most unpleasant surprises (including those within our families) can become blessings.
When Comparison is Weighing You Down
“Wrestling with Comparisons”—J. B. Haws
In this powerful BYU devotional, Professor J. B. Haws discusses the perils, pains, and inaccuracies of comparison. He reminds us that, though we may feel like we don’t measure up to those around us, God does not make horizontal comparisons. He only asks that we try to become better than we were.
When Mortality Doesn’t Seem to be Working
“Mortality Works!”—Elder Brook P. Hales
In his October 2024 conference talk, Elder Brook P. Hales reassures us that the hardships we experience are not a sign of mortality’s failings but are the very things that make mortality work. The situations and people who try our patience or faith create opportunities for us to turn to God. Through these trials, we can seek heavenly help and choose to follow the Savior’s example. This is the purpose of mortality.
When You’re Worried
“Seeing God's Family through the Overview Lens”—Sister Tamara W. Runia
In her October 2023 general conference talk, Sister Tamara W. Runia offers an important distinction: “Worry feels a lot like love, but it’s not the same.” She shares that her dad helped her through a difficult time by encouraging her instead of worrying about her. His faith helped her believe that everything would work out. When we feel worried about our imperfect families, we can choose to transform this worry into faith and active love.
When Your Relationships Seem Beyond Repair
“Christ Heals That Which Is Broken”—Sister Amy A. Wright
In her April 2022 general conference talk, Sister Amy A. Wright speaks on how we can heal our relationship with God, with others, and with ourselves. She emphasizes that waiting upon the Lord for these healing blessings can be a sacred place where our trust in His will and timing deepens. She reminds us that, if we’re faithful, we will ultimately be given much more than we initially wanted.
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