Unlocking the Savior's Power

Over the years as I have struggled with my weight and more importantly my relationship with food, I have uncovered many truths about this issue, and I believe I finally understand it enough to put the whole picture together.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, this has been an issue for me since about the age of three, when I was just starting to be an active participant in what, how much and when I ate.  I feel very confident in saying that I was born with the predilection to misuse food.  There has never been a time in my life when it was not an issue.  This is my weakness.

“And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness.  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.”  (Ether 12:27)

It is not by coincidence or accident that I have this specific weakness.  It is part of the plan God has for me.  This is the path he devised for me to walk in this life so that I can gain experience and knowledge and make the necessary changes to become my best self, to become complete.  Everyone born to this mortal existence has a similar path, one that will take them to the desired destination if they humble themselves and exercise faith in the Savior, allowing his grace to change them.  

That means that just losing weight is not the solution.  Weight-loss surgery, supplements, appetite suppressants, fad diets, excessive exercise, liposuction, cool sculpting, body wraps and any other man-devised methods of losing weight are only attacking the physical issue.  I might be able to lose weight by using a combination of these methods, but until I deal with the underlying problem of allowing food to take center stage in my life, the problem still exists.  And it not only exists, but it is a ticking time bomb that could go off at any time.  It could lie dormant for some time, as it has in the past, or it could just be a constant irritation that gets stronger and stronger until I can no longer suppress it.  The reality of my situation is this is a weakness given to me by God when he created this body for me.  He gave it to me for a purpose.  Only he can remove it or change it. 

In October 2014 General Conference, Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, “Being able to see ourselves clearly is essential to our spiritual growth and well-being.  If our weaknesses and shortcomings remain obscured in the shadows, then the redeeming power of the Savior cannot heal them and make them strengths.  Ironically, our blindness toward our human weaknesses will also make us blind to the divine potential that our Father yearns to nurture with each of us.” 

I have looked deep inside and bared my weakness.  I have uncovered every aspect of it imaginable, but just learning about it and knowing what it is clearly is not enough.  Dallin H. Oaks said, “…in contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something.”  So knowing what I know, the question is: what’s my next step?

Well, the previous scripture I quoted says I was given this weakness so I would be humble.  Am I humble?  What do I have to do to be humble?   I have to recognize his power and authority over me.  I must acknowledge his ways and his thoughts to be superior to my own, accept that I do not know as much as he does, follow his guidance,  allow him to teach me, submit to his correction, turn my will over to him, trust in his wisdom, have faith in Jesus Christ and rely on the power of his atoning sacrifice to change me. 

If I am still trying to change myself, I not only am not exercising my faith in the Savior, but I am also not going to find everlasting success.  The only way to have real and lasting change is through repentance.  Repentance is change that requires turning toward God and away from the ways of the world.  It is turning away from whatever separates me from God.  It is changing, but it is not me that affects that change.  It is the power of the atonement.  I cannot change, but the Redeemer can change me.  My weakness separates me from him.  Humility and faith lead to repentance, which will eventually take me back into his presence, because he has promised that his grace is sufficient.  He never said I have to struggle with this or overcome this.  He just said to be humble and have faith.  Having faith means trusting that he will do it, waiting for him to do it, being patient, drawing close to him and allowing him to apply his grace when he deems the time is right. 

What should I be doing as I wait for his time?  I have to learn what the weakness is meant to teach me.  I have to have the experiences it is meant to give me.  I have to prepare myself to receive the blessings of the Savior’s power.  I do not know what I am meant to learn or experience, but Jesus Christ does, so I have to be close enough to him to be led to everything when the time is right. 

Sheri Dew asks, in her talk Sweet Above All That Is Sweet, “What one thing would you be willing to give up, starting today, to put the Savior even more at the center of your life?  What one thing would you be willing to do, starting today, to unlock more of His power?”  I decided that what I’m willing to give up is recreational eating — eating for pleasure, eating for any emotional reasons, eating when I’m not hungry.   For the Savior to be at the center of my life, food can’t be, and it definitely has been.  But I have already identified this as my weakness, so how can I give it up without his help?  I can’t.  I need his power in order to give that up.  So there has to be something else I can give up that does not have such a stronghold on me. 

President Uchtdorf said, “Those who do not wish to learn and change probably will not… but those who want to improve and progress, who learn of the Savior and desire to be like him, those…who seek to bring their thoughts and actions in harmony with our Father in Heaven — they will experience the miracle of the Savior’s atonement.” 

The change I am seeking requires that I learn of the Savior and bring my thoughts and actions in harmony with Heavenly Father.  My first step in doing that has been to engage in deeper gospel study and more concentrated, meditational prayer.  I also have to eliminate some of the worldly influences in my life, like some of the TV shows I watch and spending too much time online in mindless activity.   I have to control the input my mind is getting, not just blocking out the negative but actively seeking that which will create the proper environment for a mighty change of heart.  

This harmonizing of my thoughts and actions is the one thing I must do to unlock the Savior’s power in my life.