How My Weaknesses Have Brought Me Closer to Christ

When facing trials, we may feel like our weaknesses make us failures. But these very weaknesses can be what lead us closer to Christ.

At this point in my life, I seem to face a new challenge every day. Sometimes I feel like I have reached the limits of what I can endure. Failure feels like it’s just around the corner, a steep fall that I won’t see coming. As a senior in college, I don’t think I’m the only one who feels this way.

As a missionary in Norway, I also felt overwhelmed. At that time, my challenges were very different, but the fear of not living up to expectations was just as real. One day during my studies, I came across the talk “Hope, an Anchor of the Soul,” given by President James E. Faust in the October 1999 general conference. This talk forever changed my perspective on weakness, failure, and faith.

In President Faust’s talk, he reminds us of the New Testament Apostle Peter, who believed he was ready to die for the Savior. However, Christ foretold that Peter would actually deny even knowing the Lord three times—and he did.

Even though that experience exposed Peter’s weakness, it allowed him to humble himself and rely more fully on the Savior. President Faust shares that “this experience strengthened Peter to the point that he would never fail again and was known as the rock.”

Peter’s experience helped me to understand why I had been given specific weaknesses and what I could gain from them. I learned to truly rely on my Savior as I realized I could not overcome my weaknesses without him. I grew closer to him each time I chose to trust his plan for me.

Even after reading this talk, I certainly had many more failures on my mission, but the weaknesses that I obsessed over during that time have become much less intimidating. I’ve learned to rely on God’s promise to Moroni in Ether 12:37: “And because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong.” If I am willing to admit I can’t succeed alone, I know that my weaknesses can bring me closer to Christ, whether I’m on a mission, in college, or in any other phase of life.

Read President James E. Faust’s talk “Hope, an Anchor of the Soul” to learn more about how weakness can bring us closer to Christ if we are willing to maintain hope.

Source: www.churchofjesuschrist.org

—Emma Hill, Latter-day Saint Insights

FEATURE IMAGE BY KAT JAYNE

Take a look at “Hope: A Journey to Faith” by Heather White to learn more about the importance of having hope while working to build faith.

Read “Faith through Tribulation Brings Peace and Joy” by Elder Robert D. Hales to learn more about the power of hope and faith during difficult times.