Several weeks ago we were singing  Hymn # 171, “With Humble Heart.” I wasn’t referring to the hymn book, in fact I was singing with my eyes closed, when I was startled to hear myself sing a different lyric than everyone else!

 The third verse says:

 “To be like thee! I lift my eyes From earth below toward heav’n above, That I may learn from vaulted skies How I my worthiness can prove.”

But I sang “gratitude” instead of “worthiness.” And trying to figure out why I inserted a different word into a well known hymn has kept me thinking about humility and pride and worthiness and gratitude.

Examining my heart about pride vs. humility isn’t unusual for me. When we strive to be like the Savior,  we never want to assume that we’re getting good at it! I don’t want to complacently assume I’ve achieved worthiness. I’ve spent much of my life feeling more like I’ll never be good enough.

I realized, though, that I’ve begun to rely on frequent repentance and the Atonement of Jesus Christ sufficiently to really feel that worthiness is covered by my Savior!  What I truly feel isn’t anxiety to be good enough but gratitude that He can make me worthy to serve Him despite my weaknesses.

It’s been a very long time coming, to stop feeling inadequate and not worthwhile. I realized that, at least that day, I got there, through faith in, and love for, my Savior. I’m so grateful for Him and for the Sacrament.