"I will give you rest": What it means to be healed

 Today, I was studying for my Young Women's lesson and came across a scripture. It is a scripture many of us are probably familiar with.
Matthew 11:28-30:


Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

   I read that and was a bit puzzled. "My burden is light." "I will give you rest." What does it all mean?
    Elder Kent F. Richards of the Seventy said the following:

"As Elder Dallin H. Oaks has taught: “Healing blessings come in many ways, each suited to our individual needs, as known to Him who loves us best. Sometimes a ‘healing’ cures our illness or lifts our burden. But sometimes we are ‘healed’ by being given strength or understanding or patience to bear the burdens placed upon us.”¹⁷ All that will come may be “clasped in the arms of Jesus.”¹⁸ All souls can be healed by His power. All pain can be soothed. In Him, we can “find rest unto [our] souls.”¹⁹ Our mortal circumstances may not immediately change, but our pain, worry, suffering, and fear can be swallowed up in His peace and healing balm."

   I love that quote. That scripture suddenly changed meaning for me. Some may interpret this scripture as saying that living a Christ-like life is easy, or even that Christ will take away the things that aren't easy. But that's not how it is. 
    We are all given trials. This week, the concept of being spiritually tried has rang true with my soul. At times, I think we all want Him to just take the pain. I am surely not the only one who has cried out in the night, "God, just take it away! I can't do this anymore! I am not strong enough! I can't do it!" And I am surely not the only one who has not gotten her wish.
      I am so grateful for a loving Savior and an all-knowing Heavenly Father who know what is best for me. I am grateful they didn't heal me in the sense I wanted them to. I am grateful that instead of taking my trial away, they increased my abilities and gave me peace. Instead of stopping the depression, instead of taking away my illness, they gave me strength. Because strength doesn't come from skipping out. Strength doesn't come from just waiting.
      Christ won't make life easy. He can't. He knows better than that. He may not heal the situation - the cancer, the depression, the grades, or the relationship - directly, but He can heal us. He can heal our perspective. He can heal our hearts. He can heal us with His "healing balm" and clasp us in His arms. And I can think of no greater place to be than in His arms. Because that is where peace is. That is where true healing is. And that is where we should all run to. Because He is real and so is His healing.
In the name of Jesus Christ,
 Amen.

-Julie