I Am Grateful for the Thorns in My Flesh

I love D&C 137:9. It says:

For I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts.

 

This says to me that it isn't our works, in and of themselves, that will be used to judge us but rather the desire of our hearts that produces those works.  That is a great comfort to me, and it allows me to be more charitable toward others who act in a way that is contrary to how I would act (who perform "works" that I would not perform). 


I also love 2 Nephi 4, especially for the glimpse it gives into the soul of a conflicted prophet, but my favorite verse in regard to the benefit of recognizing our weakness is 2 Corinthians 12.

Verse 7 says:

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

I think that message is consistent with the others, since I believe "I should be exalted above measure" refers to how Paul would tend to see himself without his weaknesses. Verses 5 and 6 say, in part:

yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. For though I would desire to glory

As much as I don't like my own "thorns in the flesh", they do keep me humble, since I, too, would tend to glory of myself without them.  For that reason, I am grateful for them