What a Wonderful Life!

Many know of the story portrayed in the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946) of a man named George Bailey. This altruistic protagonist goes out of his way and abandons his ambitions to serve others and help them satisfy their needs and their achieve desires. in spite of the communal and financial plight he faces throughout his life, his guardian angel shows him that he has truly had a wonderful life, and certainly the viewer would agree that George Bailey is the depiction of a truly wonderful person.

What emotions filled the life of George Bailey? Pain, love, stress, joy, agony, mercy, depression, compassion. If we imagine him sitting in his heavenly home (I know he is a fictitious character, but just imagine) What would he consider valuable? Just the positive moments in his life, or would be he grateful for all of it? I imagine that he would have gratitude for both the good and bad times, understanding that, in hindsight, trials provide tremendous growth, while blissful periods provide meaning and motivation.

We may not have trials quite like George Bailey, but we may. Trials are not necessarily produced as a result of misconduct (though they definitely can be). This is the same with the delay of expected blessings (at least in our minds they don't arrive at the desired time). With these agitations in our lives, we may not realize that they are as grains of sand that infiltrates an oyster. Those agitations can produce something as lovely as a pearl, if we let them. I think that it's easier to recognize this if we keep in mind the Lord's promises. Here's one that I have been thinking about for the past couple of weeks:

D&C 90:

 24 Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another.

The Lord promises everyone that if they live righteously, pray always, and work diligently (for whatever it may be: a job position, a GPA, a developing habit, an eternal family, etc.), everything will come together for their good. It may be soon that it happens, it may be later. I can't tell anyone when, nor can it be predicted. I'm sure in saying, however, that it will happen, because the Lord will always keep his promises. With that view of life, even without hindsight, but maybe even foresight, we too will have a wonderful life like George Bailey.