on change

An unrelated picture of the kids eating dinner at the farmer's market

I've taken up listening to music on the radio while I am driving around. Usually I listen to ESPN, but I don't really follow baseball so there isn't much to listen to in the summer. Anyway, it makes me happy to hear fun, singable music. All growing up I listened to country music, but the country radio stations here just don't do much for me so I've been listening to "pop" or whatever you call it.  I actually really like some of it, which surprised me, and even Jack has been known to get his groove on in the back seat.

Not everything on the radio is good, though. The other day I heard a song that made me sick. I don't know who sings it or what it is called, and I don't remember the exact words, but I remember the message. This is what I am. You must embrace everything about me because I am not changing. I cannot change.

I felt sick. I quickly changed the station as a very distinct, spiritual thought came to mind: 

That is a big, fat lie.

Lest  you misunderstand me, let me be clear. I strongly believe we should love others regardless of their choices and weaknesses. I believe that there is One Judge, and that it is our job to be loving and kind and merciful. We do not know the trials that others are asked to pass through. Jesus Christ taught us  "Judge Not" and "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone."  I am not condoning putting people down and treating others with derision because of their lifestyle. 

The lie is that we cannot change. The wonderful message of the gospel of Jesus Christ is that WE CAN CHANGE. If we turn to Christ, He can take our weaknesses, our struggles, and our temptations and help us become better people.


"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."

 Christianity is full of weak people. Some of us are judgmental. Some are addicted to pornography. Some of have a temper. Some have negative thought patterns. Some are materialistic.  And a million other things. Despite the charge to "be ye therefore perfect", we are not there yet. But we can turn to Christ and through His grace and power we can overcome our weaknesses. This doesn't mean that we should all be the same.  A symphony wouldn't sound as beautiful if it was made up of only violins. As we turn to Christ, our own gifts and talents and strengths are tuned and refined.

In a moment of frustration with myself a few weeks ago, I made a side comment to Dave that I thought I was broken. Immediately the scripture came to mind, "They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick."  Christ wants us to come to Him. He wants to heal us and change us. 

It is not an easy process to change. In fact, right now I am working on changing some things and it is hard and frustrating. CS Lewis said, “Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.” 


Don't buy into the lie. The truth is so much better.



*If you haven't read the Book of Mormon and want to, go HERE. It's a great book.