December 2004 Ensign - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...

28
Making Weak Things Become
Strong
BY ANNE C. PINGREE
Second Counselor in the Relief Society
General Presidency
At every stage of our lives, we struggle to
overcome our weaknesses. And as we
do, we reflect on the familiar words
of an ancient prophet who agonized over his
own weakness. As Moroni labored to chronicle
sacred events on metal plates, he was deeply
concerned about his weakness in writing.
Perhaps, he worried, future readers would not
be able to feel the power of the inspired messages
he was recording (see Ether 12:23–26).
When he humbly turned to the Lord, the
Lord revealed these words to 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” (v. 27).
The challenging
process of facing
and overcoming
our weaknesses
can refine us and
bring us closer to
the Savior.
The Lord’s response to Moroni can enlarge
our understanding of the purpose of weaknesses
in our lives and the way to overcome
them. We can feel hope and the same peace in
our souls that Moroni did. Three vital steps
can help replace a weakness with a strength:
recognizing the problem, being determined to
overcome it, and relying on the Lord for help.
Recognizing Our Weakness
As Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004)
observed: “It is not an easy thing . . . to
be shown one’s weaknesses. . . . Nevertheless,
this is part of coming unto Christ, and
it is a vital, if painful, part of God’s plan of
happiness.” 1
Some people feel defeated by their personal
weaknesses and succumb to despair.
Some attempt to hide, ignore, or compensate
for their shortcomings because of pain
and embarrassment. But, as the Lord told
Moroni, recognizing and acknowledging a
weakness is a necessary part of overcoming