Weakness

Over the years I have read Ether 12:27 over and over again trying to understand how to tap into that scripture. The verse goes,

And if men come unto me I will show unto them their aweakness. I bgive unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that dhumble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make eweak things become strong unto them.

So, as I strive to come unto the Lord, I am shown my weakness. Well, over the past ten years, I have been many weaknesses by the Lord. I will enumerate them in my private journal. Suffice it say that I am accutely aware of many of them. I sometimes confess them in prayer. If someone were to say, Scott, you really have a problem in this area or that, I would say, yes, I know.

I humbly know how weak I am. What is amazing is that if I have faith in Christ, he will make weak things strong unto me. He didn't say that he will turn my weakness into a strength. It seems to be broader than that. Maybe he will make it into a strength. Maybe he will create he just changes the environment so the weakness doesn't have to plague me anymore.

28 Behold, I will show unto the Gentiles their weakness, and I will show unto them that afaith, hope and charity bringeth unto me—the fountain of all brighteousness.

We Gentiles need to stop being so proud and start exercising faith in God. We don't believe what we can't see. We can't see how God would provide if we would let him. We have to be so ruggedly independent. We can't accept help from others and don't expect God to help us either! Other races don't have this problem. The develop their faith, gain a hope and walk with charity in their hearts much earlier than we Gentiles do. We believe in a pull up your boot straps God. When others need temporal help and would love a leg up, we just can't. It goes against the I did it myself belief so he can do it too. We believe that all people have the same capasity that we were endowed with. There isn't room for someone to be really emotional sick. Cancer is ok. Take a year off. But, to be emotionally sick is not acceptable for some reason!

Back to what I want to talk about: weakness. The key is that weakness brings one closer to God! To know your weakness means that you are self aware. This means that repentance has been granted unto you. Most people that I have met have no awareness of their weakness. They are always right. They don't want to know. If you told them, they would get upset, want to leave the room or vehemently deny what you just said.

God is the best person to reveal weaknesses. He does it with the right timing. It took me years and years to finally realize and confess my first weakness. It took another six years for the second. These were awarenesses of major weaknesses. Things that I cannot change on my own. Since then many, many more have become known unto me. These awarenesses led up to a pivotal moment. I received a revelation on what I needed to do. Ask me and I might tell you. You first must have trust.

In verse 37 it says,

And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me: If they have not charity it mattereth not unto thee, thou hast been faithful; wherefore, thy garments shall be made aclean. And because thou hast seen thy bweakness thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father.

This verse is amazing because the Lord tells Moroni that because he has seen his weakness, he shall be made strong. To see his weakness means to be aware of it, to realize that you have it. Apparently the Gentiles don't know that they need charity and this constitutes a big weakness on our behalf. We don't believe that faith, hope and charity are the most important things to work on. We are very proud. We are full up capacity. We prosper according to our own genious. We fare according to the management of our creatures and conquer according our own strength. We believe this is the right way. Even when we are 100% wrong. We love competition. We love money. These are all weaknesses!