Day 1 - 1 Nephi 18:11 "And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel did take me and bind me with cords, and they did treat me with much harshness; nevertheless, the Lord did suffer it that he might show forth his power, unto the fulfilling of his word which he had spoken concerning the wicked"
"Write about why according to this verse, the Lord "suffers," or in other words "allows," us to be in bondage at times. (See also John 9:1-3 for further insight into why God allows forms of bondage such as physical handicaps.)"
John 9:1-3 "And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him."
Since God consecrates our afflictions for our gain, I'm guessing sometimes we haven't learned all of our lessons yet, that there is still something needed to stretch us, to grow us, to strengthen us. When the people of Alma where in bondage, they went through a faith-promoting process where they were strengthened to the point where they didn't feel their burdens, before their prayer of liberation was answered. It has been my experience that whenever I pray for the Lord to zap a terribly antagonistic foe with lightening -- it doesn't work. Not at all, and I know this because sheepishly I admit trying it a few times when younger. This is the prayer that works, and works beautifully. 'Please give me what I need to be equal or greater than the problem I face'. And there is beauty in the process of gathering strength and inspiriation to face our frustrating challenges. It may not be very obvious while we're in the middle of hardship, but with our spiritual hindsight, later we can see a method to the madness.
I have also learned in my life, that sometimes the Lord allows trials for someone else and not ourselves. For instance, you go through a terrible hardship, and than, years later, you meet someone who is going through something very like the one you went through and you are able to help them in ways you would not have been able to do it if you would not have had the trial. (hopefully that makes a little sense!) Sometimes, I think the trials teach us things we might not have been able to learn otherwise.
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