19 For the kingdom of the devil must shake, and they which belong to it must needs be stirred up unto repentance, or the devil will grasp them with his everlasting chains, and they be stirred up to anger, and perish;
Why will we experience calamities before the Second Coming? Why must the kingdom of the devil shake? Not as an act of vengeful destruction but as an act of hopeful mercy: a last-ditch effort to dislodge the people who are not completely hardened, so that they can be rescued. I envision the Lord shaking a fruit tree in the hope that some of the fruit he has not yet been able to reach may fall.
In the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord talks about the natural disasters of the last days as an extension of the testimony of His missionaries. He specifically mentions the “testimony of earthquakes” and of “thunder,” “lightning,” and “tempests” (D&C 88:88-90). Clearly, His intention is to wake people up so that they will turn their minds and their hearts to Him.
When we experience hardships, we might remember this reassurance from Howard W. Hunter:
In the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord talks about the natural disasters of the last days as an extension of the testimony of His missionaries. He specifically mentions the “testimony of earthquakes” and of “thunder,” “lightning,” and “tempests” (D&C 88:88-90). Clearly, His intention is to wake people up so that they will turn their minds and their hearts to Him.
When we experience hardships, we might remember this reassurance from Howard W. Hunter:
Yes, we all have difficult moments, individually and collectively, but even in the most severe of times, anciently or in modern times, those problems and prophecies were never intended to do anything but bless the righteous and help those who are less righteous move toward repentance. (“An Anchor to the Souls of Men,” CES Fireside, February 7, 1993)
Today, I will remember that the adversity I experience can be a blessing in my life. I will strive to interpret my challenges and frustrations as a reminder that I need help from the Lord, and as a motivation to turn to Him.
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