In Alma 5:48, it reads "I know that Jesus Christ shall come, yea, the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, and mercy, and truth.". Thinking about those words made me wonder, what is the difference between "grace" and "mercy".
The Bible Dictionary says of grace "The main idea of the word is divine means of help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ....grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts."
Mercy, according to the Guide to the Scriptures, is "the spirit of compassion, tenderness, and forgiveness. Mercy is one of the attributes of God. Jesus Christ offers mercy to us through his atoning sacrifice."
To me this means that "grace" gives the Lord the ability to fill in the gaps where we falter. Mercy is the compassion that makes him want to fill in that gap. I love where it says that Christ will step in after we have expended our own best efforts.
As I thought about both of these I realized how much grace and mercy has applied in my life, and how much more I can apply it to my life. Most importantly the idea that all I am expected to do is my very best, no more, no less. Just my best, that doesn't mean perfect, that means my very best. "It is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do” (2 Ne. 25:23).
Just as in my last post about fighting a good warfare, we aren't expected to win the whole war, just to put up our best fight. Christ will win the war for us, but we have to be the best soldiers we can be. We have to use the weapons he has given us to fight that war in the best way we can.
The end of Alma 1:27 says "they did all labor, every man according to his strength". This goes along with the whole theme of grace. We are only were expected to labor according to their strength. I love this idea!
Our Savior truly is full of grace and mercy!
Showing posts with label Christ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christ. Show all posts
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Guilt or Repentance
In Sunday School, someone posed the question "Do I live my life by guilt or by repentance?" How would I answer that question, how would each of us answer that question? One thing that I know has contributed to my struggles is the expectation I have of myself to be PERFECT! I am the first to admit that I am a perfectionist. I have always wanted to see myself as perfect and for others to see me as perfect. When I fall short of that goal, I beat myself up over it.
Over the past few months, I have discovered that I was trying my hardest to be perfect on my own. When I did make mistakes I felt huge guilt, even over the smallest things. I always have known I can turn to the savior for the BIG mistakes, you know the ones that everyone knows are really bad. However, on all the others, I have spent too much time beating myself up over those mistakes. In reality I was living "my life by guilt" NOT "by repentance". The past few months I have really learned the importance of turning to our Savior to repent. There is no need for me to spend my days feeling guilty about all my mistakes, large or small. Instead I should focus more on repenting and learning from my mistakes.
Over the past few months, I have discovered that I was trying my hardest to be perfect on my own. When I did make mistakes I felt huge guilt, even over the smallest things. I always have known I can turn to the savior for the BIG mistakes, you know the ones that everyone knows are really bad. However, on all the others, I have spent too much time beating myself up over those mistakes. In reality I was living "my life by guilt" NOT "by repentance". The past few months I have really learned the importance of turning to our Savior to repent. There is no need for me to spend my days feeling guilty about all my mistakes, large or small. Instead I should focus more on repenting and learning from my mistakes.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Become a Pioneer
pi-o-neer:
1. A person who is among the first to explore or settle a new country or area
1. A person who is among the first to explore or settle a new country or area
2. A person who is among the first to research and develop a new area of knowledge or activity
Being that Pioneer Day is this coming week, the talks in church today were on pioneers. As I sat and listened to those talks, I realized that all of us can be pioneers in our own lives and families. There is something every one of us can contribute to our families that makes us a pioneer. Thinking about that today helped me understand, that through this blog and through my having bipolar, I have a great opportunity to be a pioneer to myself, my family, and hopefully others. I am learning so many new things through this trial in my life and I have loved the opportunity to share them with family and friends. In some ways I feel like I'm paving the way for others, perhaps my own children. I pray that none of my children or descendants ever face the struggles that having bipolar can bring. However, bipolar is hereditary. While I can't prevent them from facing this in their own lives, I can be a "pioneer" in my family in helping them to understand bipolar and how to keep fighting.
Also, while I pondered on pioneers, I realized that Christ is the greatest pioneer of us all. He has done everything for us, He has paved the way for us to follow. His perfect example directs us on the path to return to our Father in Heaven. His atonement gives us the power to get back on that path when we fall off. His resurrection guarantees that all of us will also be resurrected. I can think of no better "pioneer" in my life. I am so grateful for the great pioneer that our Savior is to all of us.
Being that Pioneer Day is this coming week, the talks in church today were on pioneers. As I sat and listened to those talks, I realized that all of us can be pioneers in our own lives and families. There is something every one of us can contribute to our families that makes us a pioneer. Thinking about that today helped me understand, that through this blog and through my having bipolar, I have a great opportunity to be a pioneer to myself, my family, and hopefully others. I am learning so many new things through this trial in my life and I have loved the opportunity to share them with family and friends. In some ways I feel like I'm paving the way for others, perhaps my own children. I pray that none of my children or descendants ever face the struggles that having bipolar can bring. However, bipolar is hereditary. While I can't prevent them from facing this in their own lives, I can be a "pioneer" in my family in helping them to understand bipolar and how to keep fighting.
Also, while I pondered on pioneers, I realized that Christ is the greatest pioneer of us all. He has done everything for us, He has paved the way for us to follow. His perfect example directs us on the path to return to our Father in Heaven. His atonement gives us the power to get back on that path when we fall off. His resurrection guarantees that all of us will also be resurrected. I can think of no better "pioneer" in my life. I am so grateful for the great pioneer that our Savior is to all of us.
Sunday, July 8, 2012
It's a Team Sport
Life is not an individual sporting event, it's a not a race to see how fast you can go on your own. Life was never intended to be done by one person alone. From the beginning of time the Lord knew it was not good for man to be alone. We cannot make it through life without the help of others. That fact has REALLY hit me lately. I really can't do this all alone, especially on those days when all I want is to be left alone. Heavenly Father has blessed us with family and friends to help pull us through the tough times. At the same time, we can bless others through their tough times as well. Life is without question a TEAM SPORT. We all have to work together to make it through.
As I thought about that concept I realized that Heavenly Father has blessed us with some fabulous teammates. I have my entire family I can turn to in a heart beat and any one of them would be there to help me with whatever I need most. I also have so many friends and amazing visiting teachers that are also more than willing to help me through this. I am SO grateful Heavenly Father gave us each other to help us through.
One thing I have felt is integral in fighting through this battle with bipolar is to build a "support team" of 2-3 people. I originally started out with two people, my wonderful husband and an amazing sister-in-law (AKA sister). I knew I could turn to them at any time. They encouraged me to start seeing a counselor, they listened to everything I had to say, they gave advice they felt would help me the most. Then after a few months Heavenly Father blessed me with another incredible friend to add to my "support team". All of them have helped me to see that I am still loved, that I really can pull through. They tell me "you got this". They keep reminding me that yes, I really do need to keep taking the meds, even when I don't think I need them anymore. They have laughed at/with me on my super great days and they've been there with me during my worst moments. I NEVER could have pulled through this without them.
The most important member of my support team is our Savior, Jesus Christ. With Him on my side, the fight becomes much more bearable. When I think of all He has done for me, I begin to realize that if He could keep going then I can do it too. I know He knows how I feel inside. He has provided me comfort and peace when I've needed it most. I owe everything to Him.
We are all so blessed to have so many teammates to help us through life. That alone shows me how much Heavenly Father loves us, He didn't send us here all alone.
As I thought about that concept I realized that Heavenly Father has blessed us with some fabulous teammates. I have my entire family I can turn to in a heart beat and any one of them would be there to help me with whatever I need most. I also have so many friends and amazing visiting teachers that are also more than willing to help me through this. I am SO grateful Heavenly Father gave us each other to help us through.
One thing I have felt is integral in fighting through this battle with bipolar is to build a "support team" of 2-3 people. I originally started out with two people, my wonderful husband and an amazing sister-in-law (AKA sister). I knew I could turn to them at any time. They encouraged me to start seeing a counselor, they listened to everything I had to say, they gave advice they felt would help me the most. Then after a few months Heavenly Father blessed me with another incredible friend to add to my "support team". All of them have helped me to see that I am still loved, that I really can pull through. They tell me "you got this". They keep reminding me that yes, I really do need to keep taking the meds, even when I don't think I need them anymore. They have laughed at/with me on my super great days and they've been there with me during my worst moments. I NEVER could have pulled through this without them.
The most important member of my support team is our Savior, Jesus Christ. With Him on my side, the fight becomes much more bearable. When I think of all He has done for me, I begin to realize that if He could keep going then I can do it too. I know He knows how I feel inside. He has provided me comfort and peace when I've needed it most. I owe everything to Him.
We are all so blessed to have so many teammates to help us through life. That alone shows me how much Heavenly Father loves us, He didn't send us here all alone.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Quest for Perfection
Those who know me, know I am a perfectionist. They know that I want to appear perfect (my version of perfect) to everyone. A friend lovingly suggested that pride was a part of that quest for perfection. Her gentle suggestion reminded me of the scripture in Proverbs that says "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall". Pride has been a huge impact on all of my struggles and has caused some of this trial to come upon me. I'm beginning to realize that my quest for perfection is pride because I was doing it for all the wrong reasons. I was trying to be perfect for my parents, siblings, friends, everyone but our Heavenly Father. I've been served a gigantic piece of humble pie. As I've been reading "Believing Christ" I've also realized that I've been convinced my whole life that I could be perfect on my own. I never would have grasped that without this trial. I needed this trial to humble me and make me realize that it is impossible for me to be perfect on my own. I need the Savior in my life, I need to be humble, I need to repent of my pride and MANY other short comings. I need to have faith in Him and more fully dedicate myself to Him. Granted I've still got a LONG way to go in all this. I can't change overnight but I think recognizing all of this is the first step.
In the last general conference, President Uchtdorf said we need to "see others the way our Heavenly Father sees us: as flawed and imperfect mortals who have potential and worth far beyond our capacity to imagine". I think I can apply that to others as well as myself. I need to see MYSELF the way Heavenly Father sees me. He knows I am imperfect and yet He continues to love me.
In the last general conference, President Uchtdorf said we need to "see others the way our Heavenly Father sees us: as flawed and imperfect mortals who have potential and worth far beyond our capacity to imagine". I think I can apply that to others as well as myself. I need to see MYSELF the way Heavenly Father sees me. He knows I am imperfect and yet He continues to love me.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
The Savior Understands
One particular night, I needed some time alone. I went to the temple parking lot and sat in my car for a long time. I said lots of prayers and I read scriptures and I cried. I've been thinking a lot lately about how I can get to know my Savior well enough that I can lean on him. He's who will pull me through this. I sat in the car reading the accounts of his last days in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. As I was reading and praying I could feel such peace and calm. One part that really hit me was in Matthew 26:38. It says "Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death". Right there it teaches that Christ knows how I feel, he was full of so much sorrow, even unto death. He knows how I feel. The scriptures couldn't make that any more clear. In verse 39, the Savior asks the Lord to let this cup pass from him but says he is willing to do the will of the Lord. It made me realize that if Christ can feel such sorrow, sorrow beyond what I have ever felt, and he can keep going, then I can do it too. He could have ended it all there, He had the power to do so, but he didn't quit. Even after the suffering in the garden was over, His suffering and pain didn't stop. Fortunately I'm not being asked to do the same. That night was really awesome because I felt like I'm one step closer to figuring out how to lean on our Savior during my best times AND during my worst times. I'm still not all the way there, but I'm getting there.
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