Grace

Yesterday, our discussion in the Beehive class at church was "What is grace?" I liked this definition at the beginning of the discussion outline.

Grace is divine help and strength that we receive through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Through grace, we are saved from sin and death. In addition, grace is an enabling power that strengthens us from day to day and helps us endure to the end. Effort is required on our part to receive the fulness of the Lord’s grace.

I think that from the time I was little I understood on some level, that because I am mortal and because I make mistakes I need the Atonement of Jesus Christ to help me overcome sin and death. And I think that I have had some understanding that Christ is the one who helps me overcome challenges, but it has only been in the last couple of years that I have better understood that this help in overcoming, this help in enduring and the help we need to do hard things (this post form last year comes to mind) comes because of the same Atonement that helps us overcome sin and death. 

Sometimes when I face a challenge I think, "If I could just learn (fill in lesson I think I need to learn) then this challenge can be over." There is a part of me that thinks if I check everything of some invisible list then I will have accomplished what I needed to do and my challenge will be over. But I have learned that I cannot do it all for myself. I need to do my best. I need to keep the commandments, honor my covenants and try harder each day to be better than I was the day before, but at some point I need to turn it all over to my Savior because no matter what I do, I cannot possibly do enough on my own. I like Moroni 10:32-33

        32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.
        33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.

I like that it talks about being sanctified. It always makes me think of being clean, and being set apart to do the work of the Lord. Similar to my thoughts above I often thought of santification as a checklist. One day reading this scripture it occurred to me that this was completely wrong. Yes, I need to work to overcome weaknesses, stay away from evil and seek for good, but that is not enough. And for what I lack, that is where the Atonement comes in. That is when I can become sancitified, "by the grace of God."

Just a couple of weeks ago I had a very tangible example of grace occur in my own life. The youth in our ward were going to the temple at 4:30 AM (meaning I needed to be up at 4). My mom and I had plans to clean my sister's apartment in preparation for her to return home from the hospital that night, and we hoped to help her get home and get settled that evening. I am NOT a morning person and I was worried about making it through the whole day. I prayed the night before that I would be able to do all that I hoped to accomplish. The next morning I woke up just before my alarm (which is always a better way to wake up). I was ready in plenty of time and enjoyed the morning in the temple. It was very peaceful, especially after an anxious week. I was able to get things settled here at home, then went and helped my mom clean and run erands. My boys had piano festival and we had everyone ready in plenty of time (and they played well). After dinner I was able to go with my mom to help my sister get ready to leave the hospital. We were able to chat and visit with my sister, which helped her to avoid some of the worry that she had been feeling for days. I helped run more errands before my mom brought me home. It was late and I was exhausted, but I was grateful for the help I had received. I had energy throughout the day and I know that the help was divine.

Recently I was reminded of the parable of the lost sheep. As I read about the shepherd leaving his ninety and nine in search of the one that was missing, I couldn't help but think of me as the one. I (just like each of us) need my Savior. I need him because I make mistakes. I need him because someday I will die, and only because of Him will I live again, and I need Him because life is hard, and I can't do everything on my own. I am grateful that my Savior willingly leaves his 99 in search of me, and that He is always there when I call for him.