Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Are my weaknesses fulfilling their purpose?

I was reading 2 Corinthians 12 today.  In verses 7-10 Paul refers a "thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me" that he has been given and how he besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from him but it wasn't.  Then I read in the Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, Vol 2, p 448 this quote:  "Weaknesses cause men to rely upon the Lord and to seek his grace and goodness.  If all men excelled in all things, would any develop the humility and submissiveness essential to salvation?  As shown by Paul's life, even the greatest prophets - for their own benefit and schooling- though strong in the Spirit, are weak in other things."

That inspired several a couple of thoughts.  The first being that a prophet isn't perfect ~ and imperfection isn't a sign that someone isn't a prophet.  We see this many times with Joseph Smith and those who were disillusioned by his weaknesses or perceived weaknesses.  I don't believe it diminishes the testimony I have that Thomas S. Monson is THE true and living prophet on the earth today by believing there are others with prophetic callings of a different sort.  The scriptural definition of a prophet is anyone who has a testimony of Christ by the Holy Ghost.  Moses told those who were concerned that others were prophesying and thought that Moses should forbid them - "Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them! " (Numbers 11:29)  I believe that  Glen Beck is that sort of prophet.  He has a true testimony of Christ, which he shares with an audience that isn't and wouldn't listen to Thomas S. Monson.  I believe that God loves all his children and is trying to warn and prepare as many as he can.  Glen Beck certainly isn't a perfect messenger but he is a messenger of truth.

The other thought that I had this morning was that we need to recognize and admit and seek to understand our own weaknesses so that we can develop humility and submissiveness; we need to turn to the Lord and rely on Him to help us be better - to overcome those weaknesses.  If even the greatest prophets have weaknesses - we certainly do too.  Yet I think many of us try to ignore or deny them or at the very least we just don't make the effort to try to see them or understand them.  We have weaknesses for a purpose - for our "benefit and schooling".  So are our weaknesses fulfilling their intended purpose?  Are we learning from them?  Are we benefiting from them?  Are we willing to see them so we can be made stronger? Are we allowing the Lord to make them strengths as it says in Ether 12:27and 12:37?  Look at them squarely ~ head on.  Pray to know what they are, to see them and understand them.  Be humbled by them and then in faith rely on God to help overcome them.

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