Start Where You Are

by Jewel Leann Williams

In General Conference this past October, President Dieter Uchtdorf shared a profound truth, and guidance for those of us who struggle (which is ALL of us, in some way): 

Start where you are

He said:

Sometimes we feel discouraged because we are not “more” of something—more spiritual, respected, intelligent, healthy, rich, friendly, or capable. Naturally, there is nothing wrong with wanting to improve. God created us to grow and progress. But remember, our weaknesses can help us to be humble and turn us to Christ, who will “make weak things become strong.”⁴Satan, on the other hand, uses our weaknesses to the point that we are discouraged from even trying.
I learned in my life that we don’t need to be “more” of anything to start to become the person God intended us to become.
God will take you as you are at this very moment and begin to work with you. All you need is a willing heart, a desire to believe, and trust in the Lord.

So, there you have it. I love the simplicity of this idea, that Satan tells us that we are not good enough; we'll never be good enough; give up.  GOD, on the other hand, tells us that we are good enough, simply because we are His; but, if we will just take his hand and let him lead, we will become even more. Learning our weak points doesn't have to be negative, if we realize that those weaknesses are given to us to help us to come to our Savior.

In life, this is true.

As writers, or sculptors or pianists or football players or dish-washers, mothers, fathers--any venture that is worthwhile, I can hear the Spirit whisper:

Start where you are.

Perfection is the goal. It's not expected until we have journeyed long and hard, and learned.

Any failure isn't one, as long as we dust ourselves off, and start where we are.

We only fail when we sit in the dirt and refuse to start again.