Desire is everything. Let me clarify that. Righteous desire is everything. I am sure most of us have at one time or another been perplexed by the Saviour’s commandment to ‘be perfect’ and maybe we have even dealt with feelings of hopelessness in regards to this commandment. There are two things to understand when we think of ‘perfection’ though. The first is understanding our mortal weakness, and the second is understanding the path to rising above it.
According to the Bible Dictionary, weakness is the primary condition of mortality and a state of being in this fallen world. It is unavoidable because mortality means weakness. Weakness means being human. The weakness of mortality is manifest in individual weaknesses and frailties that each person has. In Ether 12:27, Christ told Moroni: "If men come unto me I will show unto them their 'weakness'. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble...." Notice the word of 'weakness' is singular here. This is the condition of being weak. What the Saviour is referring to here is the weakness of mortality, not our individual weaknesses, of which He speaks in the latter part of the scripture when He says: "...for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them". The weak things He speaks of are in reference to individual 'weaknesses'.
The latter part of this scripture is where the hope of freedom lies. Herein lies the importance of recognising our weak condition of mortality and thereby acknowledging that we cannot rise above it without the divine power. This is the conviction which propelled us to accept Christ as our Saviour in the beginning. The weakness of mortality was given to us to bring us to the source of all power, that source being Christ. Discovering this truth in mortality is like stepping back in time behind the veil. Unless we understand on a deeper level that we need the Saviour to enlarge our capacity, we will not be able to overcome our mortal shortcomings and navigate our mortal journey successfully long term.
Here is the crux of the matter. It is one thing to know that we ‘should’ and another having a desire to do it. It is difficult to WANT to give up your weaknesses because they usually come with pay offs. None of us indulge in weaknesses that don’t give us something in return. It is my testimony that the more you yield your heart to God on consistent basis, you will develop this desire. Once this desire gets planted in your heart, it becomes so much easier to become the person you want to be and should be and came here to be. Then it becomes easier to hand over all your stumbling blocks. The more stumbling blocks that you remove from your path to righteousness, with the Saviour’s help, the more you will rise to higher ground where an elated state of being exists. When you come to this higher ground you will come to understand what the love of God is because you will be filled with it. I assure you this is the place you want to be. The weaknesses with all their pay offs do not compare with this state of being EVER.
“…….bridle all your passions that ye may be filled with love…..”
Alma 38:12
A river of peace floods my mortal being.
I struggle to contain such a merciful gift;
With grace You enlarge the sparse capacity of my heart
And righteousness moves within me as the waves of the sea;
I love You more dearly
I serve you more freely
I become what I alone could never be.
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