All or nothing. Do you ever feel that way too? Like, if you are going to do something then it has to be done PERFECTLY or it’s not worth doing at all. Or is that just me?
I am striving to adopt a new motto, “Good enough is good enough.”
Enough is such an interesting word.
How do we know when we have reached the elusive state of “enough?” How do you find that sweet spot of being comfortable with who you are and your stage in life, but nevertheless always trying to improve? The line between acceptance and growth is a wiggly one.
Today, I re-read a favorite scripture that has changed the way I think about enough.
Mosiah Chapter 14:
3He is adespised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4Surely he has aborne our bgriefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5But he was awounded for our btransgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are chealed.
I had always thought that use of “we” meant us, as in, everyone one of us who is imperfect and has had to rely upon the atonement. But today I was thinking about “we” as in my Savior and myself.
Alone, I can never be enough. If I reach as far as I can, and do as much as I can, I had always thought that the Savior would just make up the difference. But now, I think it is so much more than that. It’s not about what I can do plus what He can do; it’s really about what WE can do together.
Whew, kind of heavy for a blog post. But that is what I was thinking about today, so I wanted to share.
First of all, speaking of growth--"wiggly"? Not only was it the perfect word for what you were saying, but (and I mean this)--wow. Double consonant word. You've come a long way.
ReplyDeleteSecond of all, that line is indeed a wiggly one. And I think more often than not I am either on one side of it or the other. But for those brief moments in between when I feel about myself the way Heavenly Father feels about me, so much is right in the world and all is right with myself. I think this is the spot where we find peace.
I had never thought about the "we" there that way. But I will now.
Thank you. That is just what I needed to hear. Terry Warner says perfectionism is a counterfeit form of charity. I think our intent is what matters. If we are striving for perfection to prove something to others that is where we go astray. We are supposed to improve daily and ultimately become like God, but our only intent should be because we love him. It is totally a wiggly line! Thanks for the reminder about what really matters and how we can stay on the Lord's side of the line.
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