Two situations happened to me recently:
First:
I was in a church class where everyone commiserated about how difficult it is to read their scriptures every day.
Many people confessed how often they forget to read.
Now, studying scriptures is a habit that is pretty solid in my life and their study is a skill that comes pretty naturally to me.
So I started thinking about how I must be doing a great job!
Second:
I was in a group discussion where everyone started talking about how they’ve learned to be good ministering sisters.
Everyone was sharing about great opportunities they’ve had to reach out and connect in divine ways.
I wasn’t doing all the great thing these sisters were doing.
I started thinking that I was completely inadequate and failing at living the gospel.
What was wrong with BOTH of these situations?!
For better and for worse, I was judging and justifying my own righteousness based solely on what other people around me were or weren’t doing.
But what does Moroni advise us?
“Come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him.” (Mormon 9:27)
Before who?
Before HIM.
We are asked to humbly and sincerely work out our own salvation directly with the Savior.
Our salvation isn’t worked out by comparing ourselves to what our neighbors are doing.
I may have a lot of room to improve on my scripture study, regardless of the struggles of people around me.
I may be doing the absolute best ministering that I can do right now, regardless of the strengths of the people around me.
Or maybe not.
But the people around me don’t affect my salvation.
And I want to do better at working out my own salvation directly before the Lord.
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
