march.4

2 nephi 25: 14 - 26

what does it mean that, because of Jesus Christ, we can be saved by grace, after all we can do? 

--> i gained a new perspective on grace when i read brad wilcox's talk His grace is sufficient.  in this talk, he spoke about a girl that was concerned with her life.  she said that she believed in the promise of the Lord that He would "fill the gap" between the best she could do and the standard she needed to meet.  her question was, who fills the gap between where i am now, and the best i can do?

listening to the rest of His thoughts about this, and studying grace throughout my full-time mission, i have come to realize that grace really is "a divine means of help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ... it is an enabling power."  something "needed by every soul" and something that suffices with "total effort on the part of the recipient."

thinking about grace in this way, i realized that Christ is with us 100% of the time.  when we're doing our worst, mediocre job, or when we're doing our best and on a high.  as long as we are living the gospel of Jesus Christ and trying to improve, Christ will be with us to give us that divine means of help and strength.

there are many ways to look at that phrased question up at the top of this post, depending on which word of the sentence you emphasize.  but when it all comes down to it, Jesus Christ is the most merciful being to ever walk this earth.  He has paid the price for everything we will do or feel, and because of that, can offer the divine means of help and strength that we need to enable us to accomplish what it is He would have us accomplish, and face the trials we are given.

how grateful i am for the grace of the Savior, Jesus Christ, who takes my hand everyday and walks me through this beautifully challenging thing we call life.