Admitting Faults, Then Removing Them

All of us have blind spots.  I don't believe anyone can completely eradicate them.  But we can open them up a little at a time, take out a fault, and make a conscious effort to exchange a negative for a positive.  Here are some ways to illuminate the blind spots:

• Listen to others who truly love you.  By this, I mean those people whom you love and trust with your tenderest feelings.  There is an old saying in AA: if one person tells me I have a tail, I can ignore him, but if several people tell me I have a tail, I better back up and look in the mirror.  If we can keep ourselves from getting overly defensive, we can often find ways to strengthen our characters.
• Listen to the Holy Spirit.  Even people who don't regularly converse with the Spirit can have moments when that little built-in alarm in their head goes off.  We all come into this world with the Light of Jesus Christ, even if we don't really know Him well.  If we can develop the habit of acknowledging those little "tinglings and twinklings" as a Baptist minister once called them, they can teach us a lot about ourselves, the world, and God.

My challenge to myself and to anyone who is interested in growing this year, is to recognize faults, understand how they weaken us, and make an honest effort to turn a weakness into a strength.

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)

Text copyright Gebara Education 2012

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