Being Enough

I caught a bit of Forrest Gump on T.V. recently and was struck by his statement, "I'm not a smart man, but I know what love is."  Truly, I think he did, more than most, know what love is!  Love is humble. innocent. caring. genuine. kind. and thoughtful.  I was grateful for that simple reminder.

Recently, I've felt lacking in many ways.  I feel like I've been running in circles, but not getting anything done.  I've been giving a lot of time and what I see as love that doesn't seem to be right or enough.  ;)  I guess at least I'm not standing still, but maybe I need to stand still to figure out better what love really is.  ;)  I wonder sometimes:  What's the point?  What should I be doing?  Will I ever measure up?  What am I trying to measure up to anyway?  Where's the joy?

About the same time I started asking myself these questions I was uplifted up by these words:

1. "You're supposed to be here.  You're trusted.  You're loved.  When you're doing your best don't worry about being inadequate."

2.  President Ezra Taft Benson taught in the October 1989 Ensign, "A Mighty Change of Heart":  "We must not lose hope. Hope is an anchor to the souls of men. Satan would have us cast away that anchor. In this way he can bring discouragement and surrender. But we must not lose hope. The Lord is pleased with every effort, even the tiny, daily ones in which we strive to be more like Him. Though we may see that we have far to go on the road to perfection, we must not give up hope."

3.  Worry less about expectations and what people think.  Concentrate on Him and what He wants you to do or say.  Forget yourself.  You might worry about what the Lord thinks of you and parts of your patriarchal blessing that are not fulfilled, but there is a great deal still to happen in your life.  Much more can happen than you expect!  Mortal life is not the beginning or the end.  The key for all of us is to do all we can now.

Remember the seed that Alma teaches us to plant.  It is that we “begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection” (Alma 33:22).  Everything flows from that truth!  The seed needs depth.  Don’t let the cares of the world choke it out, but be very fruitful!  "For I, the Lord, will cause them [those whose hearts are honest and broken and spirits are contrite, and who are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice] to bring forth as a very fruitful tree which is planted in a goodly land, by a pure stream, that yieldeth much precious fruit” (D&C 97:8-9).

The reward is exactly the same for the person who increased their five talents to ten and the person who increased their two talents to four, “Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”  Be diligent with what you have!  Don’t compare!  Look to the Savior and others close by to improve and develop your own Christlike character, but remember that anything, if we’re diligent, is sufficient! Cultivate and apply your talents!  Nourish the seed and the spirit that’s in you!  Don’t be content with where you are.  Keep going.  Develop spiritual gifts.

Live with gratitude for all that you have – answers to prayers, talents, the Lord manifesting His hand in your life.  “He who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more" (D&C 78:17-19).  Be aware and acknowledge His hand.  Express gratitude.  He wants to give us more!

Pray.  Sit and spend quiet time with the Lord.  You’re no stranger to your Heavenly Father.  He knows us.  His love is perfect and complete.  “Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God...he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month….And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten” (Joel 2:23, 25).  Don’t worry about lost time and opportunities, your time wandering in the wilderness.  What the locusts have eaten God can make whole!  Progress, have joy in life!  Increase your talents, be a blessing to those around you.  Desire to reach and serve Him!  Rejoice in all that’s to come and what already has.

4.  The Lord loves and blesses us one by one.  "And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto them saying:  Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.  And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.  And when they had all gone forth and had witnessed for themselves, they did cry out with one accord, saying:  Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God! And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship him" (3 Nephi 11:13-16).  He blesses us with many tender mercies  and He uses us as resources to bless others.