About two weekends ago I was thinking a lot about my weaknesses and my imperfections. That Sunday was one of those days that felt like my flaws were these bright shiny neon signs flashing at me from every corner of my mind.
It was a rough couple days.
Thankfully it was fast Sunday, so I took the opportunity to ask for help and perspective to find peace again in my always thinking, always active mind; a mind that can help bring peace to my spirit or a mind that can foster self doubt.
I talked with my Bishop (church leader who oversees our church family, aka "dad" role at church) about my feelings of self doubt... It wasn't necessarily what he said that brought me peace, but his words allowed the Spirit of God to bring me comfort. Comfort that its ok to be imperfect... and in my case, to be an over-thinker sometimes.
That day the Spirit confirmed to me that we are all imperfect, that each of us has flaws and weaknesses. We each are in families with imperfect people, we will have friendships and work relationships with imperfect people. We. Are. All. Imperfect.
I guess the main culprit for my self doubt is... Marriage, or the lack there of ;) Ive always been willing to accept the guys imperfections, but didn't realize I wasn't expecting him to accept mine. I had this unrealistic thought I had to be perfect before meeting my ore.
Thankfully I was able to recognize that day that when I get married, I'm going to marry someone just as imperfect as I am. The only perspective I'll need when that happens is... is he willing to work with me through my faults, as I work with him through his? So we can overcome our human natures and become more like Christ and be perfected in Him together.
It was an intense learning day, and there was more!
Later on in the day a sweet confirmation of the truth came of the importance of seeing our imperfections while I was reading the Book of Mormon, the scripture is Christ speaking and says:
"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them" (Book of Mormon, Ether 12:27).
WE ARE SHOWN OUR WEAKNESSES WHEN WE COME UNTO CHRIST SO WE CAN BECOME HUMBLE AND FULLY RELY ON HIS GRACE! THROUGH CHRIST OUR WEAKNESSES CAN BECOME STRENGTHS.
What a blessing.
This was the truth I needed to learn, it's ok I have my weaknesses and WHAT A BLESSING it is to see/know them; knowing my weaknesses means I am coming to Christ who is the only one who is able to judge those weaknesses, because it is He who carried them all. He is the only way it's possible for me to be better and overcome those weaknesses.
I dare say I hope for the rest of my life I see my imperfections, its not easy, fun, or comfortable to see our weaknesses/imperfections, but seeing them will mean I'm heading the right direction, towards Christ, and I want that.
I'm catching up on your blog getting excited about you coming here. :D
ReplyDeleteI loved Bishop Wilson's advice on marriage: Get yourself ready. Do the right things. Live temple worthy and strive to do better every day.
I loved that because I still had a mission on my mind being a ward missionary and all. Then when I met Matthias, we are both imperfect, but somehow we needed each other right when we met and are on the road of progression to perfection together...which we will never achieve in this life, but it's what we are always striving for, right? We are still learning, and we are still very imperfect and finding more and more of those imperfections, but together we are further than we would have been individually.
Just thoughts. I don't know if they will mean anything to you, but they mean a lot to me. :)
Megan, they mean a lot to me. Thank you!
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