Sunday morning in Kauai, Dave and I were waiting for our car in front of the hotel. An older Hawaiian gentleman could tell we were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and asked us what chapel we were going to. He started to give us directions, then he said,
"I'm a member of the church, but I struggle with the word of wisdom."
His statement wouldn't leave me and I kept thinking about the BUT
and how it is actually AND
I'm a member AND I struggle... with whatever -fill in the blank.
BECAUSE STRUGGLING IS THE POINT!
It's in the struggle that we self confront and WRESTLE with that natural man part of us and have to give it to God and rely on God, and develop a relationship with our Savior.
Then I read this:
and that line-
they know that I am the Lord their God, that I am their Redeemer;
BUT THEY WOULD NOT BE REDEEMED.
Why do we do that???
We know He is our REDEEMER.
but for some reason we won't be redeemed.
Let Him redeem us.
It's not a BUT
it's 'I am a member of the church AND I struggle...
and
I have a redeemer!'
How cool is that?!
yes, it's a wrestle, and it takes effort, but that's how we feel God's mercy and help.
I am SO grateful for the things Jesus Christ has redeemed in my life.
I have felt it lately. Things lifted from my heart.
I've had to pray and wrestle and ultimately ALLOW it to be lifted.
There are things I'm still working on and wrestling with, and that I want to be redeemed and if I don't allow His help, then it's as if His Atonement was never made.
How cool that Christ did follow through with what He was asked to do, even though it was harder than He imagined and it was a struggle...
so that
I CAN BE REDEEMED.
What a gift.
