Ether 2:25

And behold, I prepare you against these things; for ye cannot cross this great deep save I prepare you against the waves of the sea, and the winds which have gone forth, and the floods which shall come. Therefore what will ye that I should prepare for you that ye may have light when ye are swallowed up in the depths of the sea?

God would not stop the winds, waves, and floods that would make the Jaredites' voyage so perilous, because those very forces would propel them to the promised land, but he could prepare them to withstand the storms. God likewise will not remove every challenge, affliction, and trouble from our lives, for the opposition we face causes us to grow and propels us towards God, but he can prepare us and strengthen us not only to survive but to succeed.

Christ can still the storm around us, but usually he chooses to still the storm within us. We want instant answers, quick fixes, and immediate relief, but God wants us to become saints, and that is a process that takes time. He is there for us, cheers us on, and provides instruction and a helping hand through the roughest spots, but he will not do for us what we have to do for ourselves. He loves us too much to rob us of our ultimate victory by removing our temporary inconveniences.

Ether 2:24

For behold, ye shall be as a whale in the midst of the sea; for the mountain waves shall dash upon you. Nevertheless, I will bring you up again out of the depths of the sea; for the winds have gone forth out of my mouth, and also the rains and the floods have I sent forth.

We cannot avoid the trials of life. They are part of God's plan. He has sent them to be part of our experience. We need the water, waves, currents and winds to move our clumsy boats in the direction of the promised land. Without them, we would be stalled high and dry, unable to progress. Life might be pleasant sitting on the deck of our little boat on the top of a mountain for a while, but we would be going nowhere, and eventually we would get bored with the monotony. We are designed to travel in bad weather, to be buried from time to time, and to withstand the rigors of the gales and storms of life. In the midst of the raging fury, we must trust God's plan and know that he will raise us up to the surface from time to time so we can see the progress we are making.

4 Nephi 1:16

And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.

A Christ-centered life is a happy life. A life without sin is a happy life. These verses tell us that evil did not exist among these happy people. They do not say, however, that they had no challenges, sickness or trials. They still lived in a mortal world where things go wrong, bad things happen to good people, the sun does not always shine, children get sick, accidents happen, and loved ones die. Missing, however, were the unnecessary trials of sin. Life is hard enough without weighing ourselves down with foolish sins. Trials do not destroy happiness, but sin does. It is not the circumstances around us but the attitude within us that determines happiness.

3 Nephi 14:25

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock.

The house built on the rock of Christ still experiences storms and fierce winds. We are not exempt from the trials and vicissitudes of life because we have faith and a testimony. We are never promised comfort and ease, but we are promised that we can survive the trials because the Rock will never desert us.

Helaman 15:3

Yea, wo unto this people who are called the people of Nephi except they shall repent, when they shall see all these signs and wonders which shall be showed unto them; for behold, they have been a chosen people of the Lord; yea, the people of Nephi hath he loved, and also hath he chastened them; yea, in the days of their iniquities hath he chastened them because he loveth them.

Because God loves us, he does all he can short of taking away our agency to get us to repent and come to him. Ideally he sends us specific correction through personal revelation from the Holy Ghost.  To get us to the point where we can hear his voice through the Spirit, he may send general correction through his servants the prophets. When we don't listen to the prophets, he may send us correction through personal and general trials and afflictions. As I have said many times, not every trial is the result of sin, but unrepented sins will surely bring affliction of one kind or another. As I have also said before, afflictions are not punishments. They may be tests, opportunities to grow, or wake-up calls, but God is generally not in the punishment business. Eternal justice will deliver punishment. God's whole work is to try to save us from justice, if we will let him.

Alma 55:31

But behold, the Nephites were not slow to remember the Lord their God in this their time of affliction. They could not be taken in their snares; yea, they would not partake of their wine, save they had first given to some of the Lamanite prisoners.

When we remember God in our afflictions, then those afflictions are a blessing to us. Everyone has afflictions. The difference is how we respond to them. God's purpose in allowing affliction is to draw us to him and give us a weight against which our faith can push to build strength. The natural man wants to avoid all affliction and live a life of ease, but he is always frustrated, for comfort is not the goal of mortality. If we embrace the natural man, we curse God for our trials. On the other hand, if we embrace God and his will, though we will still have trials, the outcome will be to our eternal advantage and glory.

Alma 32:14

And now, as I said unto you, that because ye were compelled to be humble ye were blessed, do ye not suppose that they are more blessed who truly humble themselves because of the word?

Most of us find it hard to humble ourselves sufficiently before the Lord, so he allows trials and afflictions to enter our lives as mechanisms to engender humility. Trials are such a waste of time, however. How much more efficient we can be if we approach humility of our own volition without the wasted suffering that usually precedes the humbling. We will still have trials even when we have set ourselves upon the path to humility, but they are trials to refine and multiply our virtues and prepare us for sanctification. The former trials are more course and are designed merely to kick us back into the game.

Alma 26:28

And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them; and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered every privation; yea, we have traveled from house to house, relying upon the mercies of the world—not upon the mercies of the world alone but upon the mercies of God.

Doing the Lord's will does not exempt us from trials. Ammon and his missionary companions were doing exactly what God wanted them to do, and they were totally faithful and obedient, and they still had difficult problems in their lives. An easy life is not a sign of righteousness nor are troubles a sign of unrighteousness or that God hates us. In some cases they are in fact a sign that we are on the right track.

Alma 8:31

And they had power given unto them, insomuch that they could not be confined in dungeons; neither was it possible that any man could slay them; nevertheless they did not exercise their power until they were bound in bands and cast into prison. Now, this was done that the Lord might show forth his power in them.

We learn over and over that bad things happen to good people. Being obedient and faithful does not give us a free pass through a carefree life. It is true that bad things can happen because of our bad choices or the bad choices of others. When troubles come, it does not mean that God has abandoned us or is angry with us. (Although when we are sinning he may let bad things happen to get our attention.) But even when we are doing our best, he may give us trials to strengthen us, to test us, to teach us patience, or to emphasize our dependence on him. In the case of Alma and Amulek, God let bad things happen so he could show forth his power in rescuing them. God always has a plan, and it is always calculated to save as many of his children as possible.

Alma 8:15

Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God from the time which thou receivedst thy first message from him. Behold, I am he that delivered it unto you.

When we look at our troubles through mortal eyes, it is easy to get discouraged. But if we can see things with God's eyes, we get a whole different perspective on our trials. We can rejoice and find peace even in the midst of our trials, because we know we are on God's plan for happiness. We don't need to be discouraged because God never abandons us. His plan is to exalt us, and he won't be satisfied with anything less. Whatever road we are on, however rough it may be, it's the road to God. In that we can always rejoice.

Mosiah 29:20

But behold, he did deliver them because they did humble themselves before him; and because they cried mightily unto him he did deliver them out of bondage; and thus doth the Lord work with his power in all cases among the children of men, extending the arm of mercy towards them that put their trust in him.

The result of faith is mercy. The ultimate end of mercy is deliverance, although the immediate result might be more trials. We must always remember in whom we trust and add patience to that trust. Without patience, trust is just a wish.

Mosiah 27:32

And now it came to pass that Alma began from this time forward to teach the people, and those who were with Alma at the time the angel appeared unto them, traveling round about through all the land, publishing to all the people the things which they had heard and seen, and preaching the word of God in much tribulation, being greatly persecuted by those who were unbelievers, being smitten by many of them.

Just because we repent and turn our lives around does not mean everything will run smoothly from now on out. Sometimes our hardest times and greatest trials can come just at that point when we think we've got our game together. We are finally doing the right things. We are going to church, paying our tithing, attending the temple, and serving in our callings. We think we are making solid progress, and then the roadblocks appear, and the storms rage, and everything we do seems to go wrong. These are not the times to despair but to persevere. The blessings come after the trial of our faith. Trials are just tests, they are not judgments or punishments. If God didn't think we could stand the heat, he wouldn't put us in the furnace.

Mosiah 23:21

Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith.

Why do we have trials, challenges, predicaments, afflictions, problems, heartaches, pain, sorrow, disappointments, disasters, calamities, and troubles? Because we have to learn patience and faith. Without resistance, we do not develop. Without mountains we do not rise. Without pressure we do not expand. Without the furnace of affliction, we are not purified. Does God like to see us suffer? No, but he hates even more to see us whither, atrophy, and waste our probation. He wants us to come home fit for his kingdom.

Mosiah 22:2

And it came to pass that they could find no way to deliver themselves out of bondage, except it were to take their women and children, and their flocks, and their herds, and their tents, and depart into the wilderness; for the Lamanites being so numerous, it was impossible for the people of Limhi to contend with them, thinking to deliver themselves out of bondage by the sword.

The Lord uses the wilderness to purge us of the baggage of pride and sin. While the wilderness is always a trial full of afflictions, it is not a curse, but a cleansing. If we endure our wilderness experiences well, they change us and sanctify us and bring us closer to God. They are indispensable legs in our journey through mortality towards eternal life.

Mosiah 21:15

And now the Lord was slow to hear their cry because of their iniquities; nevertheless the Lord did hear their cries, and began to soften the hearts of the Lamanites that they began to ease their burdens; yet the Lord did not see fit to deliver them out of bondage.

The reality is, the Lord may not remove our trials right away. He lets them continue in his wisdom until we are sufficiently refined by the things we suffer. His goal is to save us, not to make us comfortable.

Mosiah 12:1

And it came to pass that after the space of two years that Abinadi came among them in disguise, that they knew him not, and began to prophesy among them, saying: Thus has the Lord commanded me, saying—Abinadi, go and prophesy unto this my people, for they have hardened their hearts against my words; they have repented not of their evil doings; therefore, I will visit them in my anger, yea, in my fierce anger will I visit them in their iniquities and abominations.

The prophet Abinadi prophesies severe trials ahead for the people of King Noah. Is God going to punish these people out of spite? No, he is going to get their attention with a disaster because they refuse to listen to the call of a prophet to repent. If preaching will not induce repentance, perhaps captivity and destruction will humble them. Many will die, it is true. That only moves the stage of their repentance from mortality to spirit prison. They are still in the second estate until the resurrection. Hopefully what they refused to believe in life they may more readily open their hearts to in the spirit world. Many of the survivors will be humbled and turn to the Lord. God's purpose is to save his children.  On which side of the veil they are is of little consequence. What we perceive as angry punishment is just a form of tough love.

Mosiah 7:18

And it came to pass that when they had gathered themselves together that he spake unto them in this wise, saying: O ye, my people, lift up your heads and be comforted; for behold, the time is at hand, or is not far distant, when we shall no longer be in subjection to our enemies, notwithstanding our many strugglings, which have been in vain; yet I trust there remaineth an effectual struggle to be made.

This is the glad message of Christ and the atonement to all people. We should all lift up our heads and rejoice, for Christ's deliverance is near. Through the atonement he will free us from our sins and the enemy of our souls. Yet we still have an effectual struggle before us, for we must repent and resist temptation. But if we make the effort, we will not lose.

Mosiah 1:17

Therefore, as they were unfaithful they did not prosper nor progress in their journey, but were driven back, and incurred the displeasure of God upon them; and therefore they were smitten with famine and sore afflictions, to stir them up in remembrance of their duty.

Afflictions play many roles in our lives. Sometimes they humble us and wrench us so that, of necessity, we feel after the Lord. Sometimes they stretch and strengthen us like a muscle lifting weights. Sometimes they test our patience and teach us endurance. Sometimes they stir our empathy and deepen our ability to lift others. Afflictions are always gifts from God because he loves us and wants to save and exalt us.

Jacob 5:22

And the Lord of the vineyard said unto him: Counsel me not; I knew that it was a poor spot of ground; wherefore, I said unto thee, I have nourished it this long time, and thou beholdest that it hath brought forth much fruit.

The Lord knows when we are placed in difficult circumstances and a challenging environment. He does not abandon those whom he tries. Rather, he nourishes and supports them all the more.

Second Nephi 9:3

Behold, my beloved brethren, I speak unto you these things that ye may rejoice, and lift up your heads forever, because of the blessings which the Lord God shall bestow upon your children.

Prophecies are given to bring us hope. Even prophecies of doom are accompanied by promises of hope, mercy, and restoration. When we understand the Lord's plan of salvation and his great love for all his children, we have much cause to rejoice. God does not bring us sorrow. We do that to ourselves. He always offers hope and good things if we can endure the trials.