Why do bad things happen to good people who make good decisions?

In my recent Bible study, I tried a new approach. I slowed down, focused less on “reading through” the chapters, and instead paused to reflect on the people I was reading about and reminded myself that they real people. It made me realize how the scriptures apply to my life in ways I had never thought about before.

Lately, I’ve been focusing on Amulek. As I’ve been thinking deeply about his life, I’ve realized that Amulek is a poignant inspiration for anyone who feels like their life is falling apart despite choosing to do the right thing.

Amulek met Alma on the fourth day of the seventh month in the tenth year of the reign of the judges (see Alma 10:6). Amulek’s life would become a rollercoaster of emotions.

I suspect that Amulek was optimistic when he accompanied Alma in his sermon to the people of Ammonihah. But the result must have shocked him. After his sermon, all the wives and children of those who believed in his words were thrown into the fire. We read:

We sometimes skip over this passage because its content is so unpleasant. But we could sit with the women and children who are martyred and remember that sometimes things don’t go well for the righteous in this life.

We can imagine Amulek’s feelings – after all, he had previously spoken of his children and the women in his household (Alma 10:11). From then on, they are never mentioned again. It seems as if Amulek’s family had been martyred before his eyes.

Take a moment and sit with Amulek. He is a real person. This is his real family. How does he feel?

From the place of their martyrdom, Alma and Amulek were taken to prison. There they were held under inhuman conditions and mistreated by many lawyers and judges. Finally, after many days, Alma and Amulek arose and Alma cried out, “How long shall we endure these great afflictions, O Lord? O Lord, give us strength according to our faith which is in Christ, even unto redemption. And they did break the cords wherewith they were bound” (Alma 14:26). The prison walls fell, resulting in the death of all who had persecuted Alma and Amulek.

Mormon states that the prison walls fell on the 12th day of the 10th month in the 10th year of the reign of the judges.

Remember that Amulek met Alma on the fourth day of the seventh month of that same year. So from the time Alma met Amulek until she was released from prison, it was about three months and one week. We read this account in a few minutes, but it may be helpful to take a moment to reflect that this experience lasted more than three months.

How would you feel if you were Amulek for those three months? You followed what an angel told you and your life fell apart. How do you feel?

At the end of Alma 15, we see Amulek walking with Alma to Alma’s house. Finally, there is nothing left for Amulek in Ammonihah. How did he feel when he left his house for the last time?

Dr. Charles Swift writes in his article about Amulek:

Do we spend enough time thinking about Amulek? What can we learn by reflecting on Amulek’s life and stopping to spend some time with him?

I learn so much from Amulek. He reminds me that just because I do the right thing doesn’t mean everything will be OK. But that doesn’t mean we give up. I love that Amulek continues to preach with Alma even after extreme trials.

Will life be challenging?

Absolutely. Amulek knows it, Nephi’s wife knows it, and Amaleki and Alma the Elder know it too.

So what should we do when life is unbearably hard?

Think of Amulek. And think of the last words we hear from him, words he spoke to the Zoramites that blessed me and millions of others. Words that are especially poignant in light of his own experiences: “Be patient and endure these afflictions, in the firm hope that someday you shall rest from all your afflictions” (Alma 34:41).

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