In this section the Lord is asking hard things of some of the early saints, with the promise that for the faithful they will be blessed with much fruit. God fulfills his promises and if we are promised blessings we can count on them. However, in our covenant relationship with our Father in Heaven it is important for us to realize that He sets the conditions of the covenant, meaning He promises blessings, but it is also up to Him to determine what those blessings will be. As our loving Father in Heaven, we can trust that He will bless us with exactly what we need, even if it isn't necessarily what we want.