Perfection and where I'm at.

Our discussion in Elder’s quorum was about not letting our imperfection our weaknesses, our short comings get us down. We just need to be honestly giving our best and that is good enough.

I was receiving another lesson entirely while I sat there holding my 1 year old asleep in my arms. Many scriptures entered into my mind from this week’s random readings. I have included many of them below. I’ll summarize my thoughts at the end.

Moses 1:39

39 For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

 

Doctrine and Covenants 11:20

20 Behold, this is your work, to keep my commandments, yea, with all your might, mind and strength.

Matthew 22:37-39

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

 38 This is the first and great commandment.

 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

John 14:15

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Doctrine and Covenants 6:20

. . . Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love.

John 14:23

23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

 

Moroni 10:32-33

32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.

·        Matthew 7:17-18

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Matthew 12:33

 

33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

·        3 Nephi 14:17-18

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

It is NOT my job/function to make myself perfect, because it is literally not possible for me to accomplish, that is why we were given a Savior. It IS Christ’s job/function to make me perfect.

It IS my job/function to keep the commandments, and by keeping the commandments and heeding the guidance and direction from his appointed representatives Christ is able to perfect me.

It is NOT Christ’s job/function to force me to change only to invite me to obey so that he can perform a miracle of miracles with/in me.

Why should I be grieved by Christ state of progress with me? If he is perfect and the works of his hands are perfect does that not dictate that if I am keeping the commandments and following the counsel of those appointed to watch over me. Then I am just as perfect as he wants me to be right now, assuming I have repented for the times I have intentionally not followed the commandments. If I am moved by the Spirit to act or asked by a leader to do and I do my best, then, regardless of how flawed my efforts are from my perspective, are they not good and perfect in Gods eyes? He sent me and knows where Christ is with me in my progressive states of perfection.

Is it wrong to be weighed down and recognize our shortcomings? NO. We see this with Nephi and Moses and many others. It is not a sin to know the lord is not done with us yet, but we should also be glad and thankful for where he has brought us thus far.

God does not define perfection as men do, because his ways are higher than our ways, so believe him and do your part so he can do his.