Weak Things Can Become Strong

Today was a hard day. My daughter could not control her tics at school. Her friends made fun of her, which made her more upset and gave her more and more tics. She did not want to stay at school or go to choir. I told her that she needed to go and that we would work on finding other distractions.
As we traveled together in the car, we had time to talk about this "thorn in her side" that she has been given. We talked about the things she could learn from it. How it has already increased her compassion for those who are dealing with daily differences in their lives. We talked about how, even though she looked "different" on the outside, she is still the same person on the inside today as she was a few months ago before all these things started happening. We talked about how Heavenly Father always blesses us with blessings when we are asked to endure a difficulty.
We talked about how He does not cause the difficulties to happen, but He will allow us to endure them so that we can learn and grow. We talked about the changes that she is already making in her life because of this trial. How she has a need to defend others who are being teased and put down. How her heart goes out to them and how she has a desire to make things better for them in their struggles.

We all have Weaknesses, or things that we don’t like about ourselves. Sometimes the weaknesses, or trials, are visible to those around us, and sometimes they are completely hidden from others.  All through our lives, we constantly try and overcome those weaknesses. No matter how much we each try to do, we can't seem to overcome them by ourselves.

In the Book of Ether in the Book of Mormon, the Prophet Moroni tells us of how he too, struggled with his own weaknesses. When he turned to the Lord with his concerns over his weaknesses, the Lord said unto him:

“And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.” Ether 12:27

I love that scripture.  It is so comforting to me to know that the Lord will make the weak things become strong for us.  I do not believe that the weak things are sin.  I believe that they are unique challenges that we have all been given.  They are things that will test us and stretch us and help us to become who we need to be.  These are the things that will help us to change our hearts and become more like Him.

"Sometimes, in spite of all we do to “make weak things become strong,” the Lord, in His infinite wisdom, does not take away our weakness. The Apostle Paul struggled throughout his life with “a thorn in the flesh,” which he said served to humble him “lest [he] should be exalted above measure” (2 Corinthians 12:7). Three times Paul asked the Lord to take away his weakness, and three times the Lord declined to do so. The Lord then explained that His grace was sufficient for Paul and that, in fact, His strength was actually “made perfect in weakness.” Then Paul wrote, “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

“Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9–10).

Like Paul, we can find positive meaning in weaknesses that are not taken away. Surely nothing is quite as humbling as having a weakness that we cannot overcome but must continue to struggle with throughout our life. Such a weakness teaches us, in a very personal way, that after all we can do we must rely on the grace of Christ to make up the difference.

As we humbly submit our will to the Lord’s, we find that our weaknesses can indeed become sources of strength if we put our trust in Him.” Making Weak Things Become Strong, Anne C. Pingree Second Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency

May we strive today to be a little kinder to those around us who have their own struggles and difficulties.  May we be a little more compassionate to those that are "different" and may we always remember that they too, are children of God.  May we remember, that inside they are just like us.  They have wants and dreams, they need love and caring, they want to belong.  May we take a moment and try to make the world just a little better as we strive to accept those differences.   And, as I found this picture, I remember that He knows the thorns we each carry in a very real way.  He is aware of those trials you bear.  He knows your heart.