God is a God of laws. His universe operates on unchanging principles—clear causes and effects. As we come to understand and align ourselves with those laws, we naturally begin to experience the blessings tied to them.

"I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise." (Doctrine and Covenants 82:10)

It was a powerful shift for me when I realized: there is a reason behind every good thing we’re asked to do. A specific law. A specific blessing.

“Be grateful” isn’t just a cute saying meant to distract you from pain. It’s a law—tied to a blessing.

And while it might sound unreasonable to feel gratitude in the middle of a storm, here's something to consider:

When you feel good—even about your problems—you activate laws that lead to better outcomes. (And who doesn’t want better outcomes?)

As I’ve shared before, when you change how you feel, your environment begins to respond. People sense your energy, even subconsciously. The customer service rep is a little more helpful. The driver lets you merge. The professor offers grace.

"Let a man cease from his sinful thoughts, and all the world will soften toward him, and be ready to help him... Let him encourage good thoughts, and no hard fate shall bind him down to wretchedness and shame."
—James Allen, As a Man Thinketh

Now, I know what you might be thinking: “That’s nice in theory, but sometimes it’s nearly impossible to feel differently about what I’m going through.” Believe me—I’ve been there. Probably more often than not.

And you know what? That’s okay.

Sometimes, the most loving thing we can do is give ourselves permission to feel the full weight of our sadness, disappointment, or anger.

But here’s the key:
Let it be temporary.

The Law of Rhythm tells us that everything flows: ups follow downs, joy follows sorrow. You don’t need to force the shift. You don’t need to fake it. Your only job is to trust that joy will come. Hope for it. Welcome it when it begins to stir.

(Have you noticed? It might already be trying to find you...)

So yes—feel your sadness. Let it move through you. But always hold space for hope. Expect that happiness will return.

The shift often starts with perspective. Acknowledge the hardship. Then—when you’re ready—thank God for it. Yes, even that. Lift your heart with gratitude and hope, trusting in the promises you’ve been given. Even if it’s ugly, even if it hurts, be grateful.

This is the law:

"This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalms 118:24)
"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts ... and be ye thankful." (Colossians 3:15)
"O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever." (Psalms 107:1)
"Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands... be thankful unto him, and bless his name." (Psalms 100:1–5)
"Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 5:20)
"We accept it always, and in all places... with all thankfulness." (Acts 24:3)

And here’s the promise:

"For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." (Psalm 30:5)
"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." (Matthew 5:4)
"All things work together for good to them that love God." (Romans 8:28)

Do you see the Laws of Polarity and Rhythm in action? Sadness is promised comfort. Difficulty is promised resolution. Injustice is promised reward. Everything—even everything—is promised to work together for your good when you love God.

So how long will the pain last?

That may depend on how long you dwell only on the pain.

I believe that’s why God gave us so many verses filled with hope—to guide our thoughts when we’re in the trenches. Because by the Laws of Vibration and Perpetual Transmutation, your thoughts and feelings create movement. They initiate change.

So how can you begin to feel good in the midst of what’s going wrong?

It starts with a choice:
A choice to believe in something you can’t see.
To believe that something better is already on its way.
To imagine that the unseen is already unfolding in your favor.

"...therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen..." (Alma 32:21)

The Law of Polarity promises that every adversity contains the potential for an equal (or greater) blessing. When you start looking for that hidden benefit, you open yourself up to receive it. You become an active participant in the blessing.

Without a shift in focus, the law can only bring more of what you’re already focused on. But when you change, the outcome can too.

Hope is the beginning.

If you’re suffering, remind yourself of His promises. Speak them out loud. Allow your heart to hope that they are true, and start looking for evidence that they already are.

When you trust God enough to express gratitude in the middle of hardship, you are promised the best possible outcome—even if it’s different from what you imagined. Part of that trust means letting go of your idea of what it should look like, and choosing gratitude anyway.

Here’s another beautiful truth from the Law of Polarity:

If something is a little bad, the hidden good is also a little good. But if something is catastrophically bad, then the hidden potential blessing is equally phenomenal. Which means the person with the hardest trials may actually be holding the greatest potential.

So expect it. Be grateful for it—even before you see it.

I’ve learned (though sometimes I forget) that when I experience a crushing disappointment, the faster I get on my knees and thank God for it, the faster it passes. My prayers often sound something like this:

"Dear Father in Heaven, -sigh- thank you for this challenge. I don't know how it is good for me, or why I must endure it, but thank you for it. I'm sure there's a good reason, and I look forward to discovering what it is. Thank you for giving me a bad day (week, month, year...) if for no other reason but that I will know a good one when I have one. Help me through this. Help me find the hidden blessing in it. (Then I pause to really feel what I'm saying, and I try to imagine how he sees me in that moment. I imagine him feeling proud of me for choosing gratitude in spite of the circumstances. Then I close my prayer...) In Jesus' name, amen."

And every time—every single time—when I pray like that with sincerity, I feel a shift. The future changes. And eventually, I always see why that gratitude wasn’t in vain.

An example: how a bad experience became good

Corrie Ten Boom, who survived the horrors of a concentration camp, once argued with her sister about whether they truly had to thank God for the fleas in their barracks. It seemed like too much. But later, they discovered that those very fleas were the reason the guards left them alone, sparing them further abuse. The fleas—awful as they were—became their protection.

As Napoleon Hill put it,

"Every adversity carries with it the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit."

So yes, even the fleas. Even your current struggle.

All things can work together for good if you expect them to, and allow the good to rise from the ashes of hardship like the sun after the darkest night.

Because it’s true: it’s always darkest just before the dawn.

To learn more about the Laws, read Hidden Treasures. (FREE!)

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