Remember that Its All a Process, Even for Christ

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.  

Christ dealt with the natural man, "the flesh," just like we do.  And He overcame it.  That means in Him we can overcome it too.  Whatever weaknesses we have, through relying on Christ and letting ourselves go through a process rather than expect a quick fix or change, we can reach our potentials.  Our weaknesses really will become strengths.  I've been thinking about the scripture Ether 12:27 a lot this year, and I find it interesting that after we humble ourselves and have faith in Christ, HE is the one that makes weak things become strong unto us.  Not US.  Him.  And that is okay.  I have definitely seen this.  Sometimes I recognize that I'm experiencing a change within myself and I have no idea what that change is and how it is happening.  I just can tell that it is positive and from God.  It is because as I focus on my faith (manifested through obedience and diligence) and my humility (manifested through my prayers and perspective), God can mold me.  It is NOT a passive thing.  But we do have to let go.  We have to work hard while also letting go, which is a hard balance to find.  I'm learning about how to do that.  Let go of control while also working towards something.  But because Christ overcame it all, He is full of grace and truth and He wants to give it to us.  We are such lucky ducks!

For in the beginning was the Word, even the Son, who is made flesh, and sent unto us by the will of the Father.  And as many as believe on his name shall receive of his fullness.  And of his fullness have all we received, even immortality and eternal life, through his grace.

Both Christ and God made a huge sacrifice.  Christ was sent to us "by the will of the Father."  He had to sacrifice His Only Begotten for all of us.  The sacrifice of both of them enables us to "receive of his fullness" if we but believe on Christ's name.  What exactly is this "fullness?"  In the scriptures, fullness is referenced in connection to:

• Joy
• The Gospel  
• Glory (immortality and eternal life of man)
• Time
• Receiving the fullness of the law enables the fullness of glory
• Fullness of the wrath of God (at the end)
• The love of God enables His fullness
• The Earth
• Fullness of the Father
• And from John's words: "immortality and eternal life, through his grace"

I, for one, want to receive of the fullness of the Father, of joy, glory, love, everything God wants for us.  Basically to become what Christ chose to become.  How do we receive of this fullness?

I assume as Christ is our example, we must receive it as He has:

Ephesians 4:13

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

Ephesians 3:19

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God

3 Nephi 28:10

And for this cause ye shall have fulness of joy; and ye shall sit down in the kingdom of my Father; yea, your joy shall be full, even as the Father hath given me fulness of joy; and ye shall be even as I am, and I am even as the Father; and the Father and I are one.  

D&C 93: 13- 14

And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness; And thus he was called the Son of God, because he received not of the fulness at the first. 

John 1:16

And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

 

Okay, so how do we receive of His fullness?

• Come in the unity of the faith
• Come in to the knowledge of the Son of God, little by little working towards "a perfect man" until we get to the "measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." 
• Know the love of Christ.  Because that is what gives us the knowledge of Him which enables us to be filled.
• Christ says that "the Father hath given [him] fulness of joy."  The only source of the fullness of joy is God.  We must receive it from the Father.  We must go to the right source
• We must allow ourselves to go through the process.  Christ went through this process much quicker than we will, but we have His help.  We must continue "grace to grace" until we receive a fullness.  This is how we BECOME the sons and daughters of God.  
• Not only do we receive it grace to grace, we receive it grace for grace.  I feel like this principle relates back to the whole light cleaveth unto light.  We attract more grace as we receive more. 

Overall, the thing that stuck out to me in this study is that we must allow ourselves to go through the process.  It is okay that we aren't perfect.  We aren't meant to be.  We are just meant to progress.  As we accept more of God's fullness in our lives, our weaknesses will be transformed into strengths and we will feel the love of Christ which will lead us to know Him which will lead us back to the Father!  The gospel is so beautiful.  

Well I love you!

Rachel