BEING WEAK PART 3

 In my previous posts I have written that 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’ give up our weaknesses and another having a desire to do it. It is difficult to WANT to give up some weaknesses because they usually come with pay offs. None of us indulge in weaknesses that don’t give us something in return.

 The desire makes this process so much easier. Developing that desire becomes easier when we yield our hearts to God on consistent basis. The closer we come to God, the more desire we have to improve ourselves. Then it becomes easier to hand over all your stumbling blocks.

I have found something helpful to do is to replace “I should” with “I choose to” every time I am  faced with the behaviour I want to change.  When I adopt the thinking that I am choosing to give something up, I don’t feel cheated of that behaviour and its pay off. None of us like to feel that we are ‘forced’ to do something. There are no feelings of pressure when you tell yourself that something is your choice.

Expect some discomfort in giving up your buddy weakness you cosied up to for so long. Comfort zone is difficult to give up. Neal A. Maxwell called this process ‘spiritual surgery’, the giving up of the natural man is a ‘painful severing of pride from the soul’ (In Conference Report October 1987).

But here is the greatest motivation to do so: “...bridle all your passions that ye may be filled with love…..”  (Alma 38:12)

The more stumbling blocks that we remove from our path to righteousness, with the Saviour’s help, the more we will rise to higher ground where an elated state of being exists. When you come to this higher ground you come to understand what the love of God really is because you will be filled with it. Our weaknesses with all their pay offs do not compare with this state of being EVER.

  

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.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: His Grace Is Sufficient by Greg Collins)