We Are Enough

Last week in testimony meeting at church someone got up to bear his testimony about the story of the loaves and the fishes from the New Testament. He said in studying it recently he came to understand the story differently than he had before, or at least that he gained a new perspective about it. Most of us will read that story and be amazed at how a few loaves of bread and some fish were able to feed many and maybe leave it at that. In pondering the story this time, however, this person focused more of the faith that must have been required of the apostles to help accomplish this task. Christ had been preaching all day and had gained upwards of 5,000 followers who were listening to Him teach. Instead of sending them away to eat and rest, as someone had suggested, Christ told told His apostles He would bless the food they could gather and that the food would be enough.

Imagine being one of the apostles holding a basket of bread and being told to spread it among thousands of people and that it would be sufficient. We all, in our lives, have faced times when something has been asked of us and we feel completely unqualified for the task. We feel there is no way we can sufficiently accomplish  what has been asked of us and that surely someone else could do a better job. If we try and are not perfect we would be seen as failures. This is what the adversary would have us believe; that we are not good enough and that we shouldn’t even try. Study of the loaves and fishes story shows us that this is not the case. Through Christ anything is possible. He has blessed us with many things and talents and we are to share them with others. We may not be perfect, but through Christ we can be good enough.

As I listened to this person share this I really felt the spirit bear testimony of this in my heart. Earlier in the week I had been asked to help do updos for the 9-11 year old girls at church and also to sing something at a nursing home as part of a service project. Now as small as these requests were I was debating whether to say yes or not as I am really not that fabulous at updos and I had no clue what to sing at a nursing home. I felt at that moment the reassurance (or maybe the kick in the head) that anything I had to offer would be enough. These people were not asking for perfection. They were not expecting anything spectacular. They just wanted me to share my skills to provide service and bring joy to others. It didn’t matter that I might not produce runway hairdos, but if I was willing to say yes I would be able to make those little girls happy. If I said yes my singing would help make someone’s day a little brighter. And that is enough.

If we are willing to serve and trust in the Lord we will be made equal to what is asked of us. 1 Nephi 3:7 says “I will go and do the things the Lord commands, for I know that Lord giveth no commandment unto the children of men save He shall prepare a way for them that they might accomplish the thing which He commandeth them.” Big or small, I know that Christ can help us face any challenge and be of great service to others if we are willing to trust in Him. Trust that we are enough. Trust that if we are willing to serve others we can accomplish much good, no matter how small the task.