Wednesday, September 30, 2015

You Are Enough (But "Enough" for What?)


(From LDSSmile): 

You Are Enough! Who you are right now is enough, flaws and all. Not only are you enough, Heavenly Father loves you exactly as you are.  No conditions, no arbitrary boundaries.  He loves you exactly as you are today, but He will refuse to leave you that way to paraphrase Max Lucado.
Chieko N. Okazaki has said: “You are enough... What you have to give is enough... Your best is sufficient to the Lord.”

However lovely this saying may be, there is a whole different side of  being "enough" that isn't talked about much in our overly-romanticized culture...



You are enough for His unconditional love, but no one is enough to:

  • Be left alone the way they are by the Lord [C.S. Lewis, Max Lucado, Maxwell, Bednar]
  • Receive the fullness of His mercy without complete obedience and repentance [Kimball, Nelson]
  • Reap without sufficiently sowing and laboring (even if it is their “best”) [Kimball, Hunter]
  • Have guaranteed continual happiness during their earthly years [Maxwell, Packer]
  • Have guaranteed health
  • Have guaranteed wealth
  • Disregard the Word of Wisdom and still have good physical health [D&C 89]
  • Not be chastened [Hebrews]
  • Selectively choose what commandments they will obey [Nelson, D&C]
  • Be compelled in all things [D&C]
  • Be so loved by Him that they are excused from any of His laws or commandments [Oaks]
  • Have His blessings on their timetable [Maxwell]
  • Idle away or fail to manage their time [Maxwell]
  • Put their talent development above their family responsibilities [Oaks]
  • Put serving in the church, community, advocacy groups, or in social causes above even the most mundane family responsibilities [McKay, Julie B. Beck, Handbook 2, Barbara B. Smith]
  • Be able to serve every person in need or ease all suffering they see in others [Maxwell, Kimball, Oaks]
  • Do good things in the wrong order or season [Oaks, Maxwell, Scott]
  • Wallow in a pool of self-pity and not get stuck [Maxwell, Nelson, Ashton]
  • Live outside their means in terms of money, time, family resources, or even household space [Benson, Hales, Faust]
  • Always be treated fairly in this life [Maxwell, Cook]
  • Receive the help and partnership of Heaven, but on their terms [Barbara B. Smith]
  • Escape or neglect their parental callings and responsibilities [Family Proclamation, Julie B. Beck, Gospel Principles]
  • Redefine fixed principles to be more palatable to their lifestyle [See Sodom and Gomorrah, Pharisees, Sadducees]
  • Teach false doctrine or speak evil of Church leaders, (even in closed or anonymous online groups), but not fall into apostasy [First Presidency]
  • Hold back a “pint of crème” and still obey the Law of Sacrifice and Consecration [D&C]
  • Escape the consequences of their actions or lack of action [Oaks, Maxwell, Benson, Hales, etc...]
  • Be saved in ignorance of salvational truths [D&C, Rector, Romney, Benson]
  • Be saved by the “arm of the flesh” or their own intelligence [Eyring, Faust, Edgley]
  • Give into distraction, self-medicating, or other forms of bondage without giving up agency by the only way it can be destroyed [Oaks, Maxwell]
  • Not experience major proximate disappointment [Maxwell, Holland]
  • Be in complete control of their live [Richard Eyers]
  • Let their passions/emotions/desires rule their life (even the “good” passions) [Alma]
  • Protect their personality “idiosyncrasies” [Maxwell]
  • Receive blessings without abiding by the eternal law that those blessings are predicated on [D&C]
  • Be exalted outside the bounds of marriage in the temple [D&C]
  • Be unclean and be able to be in His presence [1 Nephi 10]
  • Go where He is without becoming like Him [McKonkie]

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