Am I Of Worth?

Sometimes I wonder if what I do is good enough. If who I am is good enough. We must all struggle with these feelings of inadequacy from time to time and wonder where we stand in the Lord's eyes, how He really feels about us. An article I read in the Ensign* this summer changed my perspective and gives me hope.

It was written by a woman who was a healthy, active and involved young adult. Now, however, she struggles daily with a very painful chronic disease. She writes:

"I now experience constant pain and fatigue, and I have forgotten what it feels like to be healthy... some days I am not even able to get out of bed. There are times when I feel I have lost a significant part of my identity. How can I be of worth if I can’t even get out of bed?

As a youth I learned about individual worth. Now I’m really being tested as to the source of my worth. Is it based on my accomplishments, or is it based on the truth that I am a child of God? When faced with feelings of inadequacy, I seek guidance through conversing with my Heavenly Father as well as reading and pondering the scriptures.

I have often asked the Lord if I am still important. After much prayer and scripture study I have learned that Heavenly Father’s closeness helps me understand more fully who I really am. I have learned, and continue to learn each day, that my worth does not depend on my abilities but is founded in the fact that I am His child." (emphasis added)

I find comfort in this idea that my worth doesn't depend on what (or how much) I do but on who I am. The very simple and profound fact that I am a child of a loving Father makes me important. And if that's true, I really don't need to run faster than I have strength.

*Ensign, July 2009