Thank you for subscribing-may these words bring a quiet moment of peace and reflection to your day.

Backstory: 
Lately I’ve been thinking about the weaknesses we carry and the mistakes we make. Sometimes those struggles feel discouraging, like proof that we are failing or not changing fast enough. But our weaknesses are not meant to defeat us—they are meant to teach us. As I reflected on my own struggles, I began to think of us like rough stones. When a stone is first taken from the earth, it is jagged and uneven. But over time, through polishing and shaping, those rough edges begin to smooth. In much the same way, the weaknesses we wrestle with throughout our lives can shape us if we allow the Savior to work in our hearts. Through His Atonement, our mistakes can become learning experiences instead of endings.

Learning From the Rough Places

My dear Father in Heaven,
I love thee much, without question.
I know I begin like a stone with edges so rough,
And I know being human and changing is tough.

Please help me to smooth out the ways I behave,
To become like Thy Son, the One who can save. 
Sometimes when Thy chisel strikes deep into me,
It hurts—but Thou seest what I cannot see.

Thou knowest my soul when I’m tempted to quit; 
Thou seest the light when I cannot find it. 
When I am discouraged by each flaw and fault, 
Please bring my heart’s heavy spirit to halt.

When I lose my temper with those I hold dear, 
Help them to forgive me and cast out my fear. 
Help me forgive me, and find through Thy grace, 
The warmth of Thy steady and loving embrace.

Please, Father, from deep in my flawed, honest heart, 
I ask for Thy help to make a brand-new start. 
I trust that through Jesus, Thy Beloved Son, 
I can be refined until we are all one.

The Takeaway: Weaknesses and mistakes are not signs that we are beyond hope. They are opportunities to grow, to become more humble, and to turn our hearts toward Jesus Christ. Through Him, our rough places can be softened and refined. As we trust the Savior and keep trying, the very things that once discouraged us can become the tools that help shape us into the people our Heavenly Father knows we can become.