Strengthened Shoulders

I was reading the scriptures to my boys tonight (the children's version) in Mosiah where Alma's people were put into bondage and ruled over by Amulon who refused to let the people pray. The people continued praying in their hearts and, "God heard their prayers and strengthened the people so their work seemed easier. The people were cheerful and patient."

This passage hit me, hard. I've been wrestling with the fact that it seems that life happens the way it will, whether we pray or not, that bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people all the time, that life is most often unfair and there are no answers to the question why, when or how come?

Then I realized that the people of Alma prayed, and I'm guessing they prayed to be set free, to have their land back, to be able to practice their religion...all good, noble, righteous desires, but they didn't get any of those, at least not immediately. What they got were strengthened shoulders so their difficult plight seemed easier and they were cheerful and patient, because they recognized the Lord's hand in their life and didn't question his plan or his timing and remained righteous. They allowed God to strengthen them. How often do we pray for deliverance, or a miracle and get strengthened shoulders in return? Do we accept them as God's gift or God's neglect? What could our trials be like without those strengthened shoulders?

And then, the miracle happened...it always does. The people of Alma escaped from their bondage through God's direction and deliverance. No one can predict when or how, but somehow the miracle always happens....