I often reflect on a popular ideology that has become deeply ingrained in our culture: “You are enough.” We see variations of this message everywhere—on clothing, wall art, social media, and even subtly woven into the themes of movies and TV shows. Phrases like “this is me” and “you are perfect just the way you are” are becoming defining sentiments of our culture. While these ideas may stem from good intentions, they encourage a mindset of complacency with who and what we are. Movements such as “Fat Pride”, LGBTQ, and others have taken this idea to extremes, promoting ideologies that not only reject the need for change–repentance–but openly defy principles taught by Jesus Christ. The “You are enough” campaign is, at its core, anti-repentant and, therefore, anti-Christ. And Satan is at the head of it.
The “You are enough” ideology presents an overt message of self-acceptance: encouraging us to love ourselves as we are. On the surface, this message appears positive and uplifting. However, inseparably tied to it is a subliminal message with far more concerning implications—it subtly suggests that you are enough, so you don’t need to change. These two messages, though seemingly distinct, are inextricably intertwined; the overt positivity serves as a vehicle for the dangerous implication that personal growth, repentance, conversion, and reliance on the Savior are not desired or needed.
I believe the “You are enough” movement gains its appeal from people’s struggle to reconcile what Elder Neal A. Maxwell described as “divine discontent.” Michelle D. Craig explains this concept as “our innate sense that we can do and be more.” God continually nudges us toward growth and progress, yet the natural man resists, seeking comfort instead. As the familiar saying reminds us, “there is no growth in the comfort zone, and no comfort in the growth zone.” The “You are enough” movement taps into this tension, offering a comforting narrative that silences divine discontent by telling us we don’t need to strive for more. While it feels affirming, this ideology ultimately denies us the opportunity for true growth and the transformative power of Christ’s atonement in our lives.
Let me share a perspective I believe to be rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ: you are not enough. You can become enough, however, but only through and with Jesus Christ.
The doctrine of salvation is expansive and beautiful. While all will be resurrected and inherit a degree of glory, exaltation—the fullness of salvation—requires us to repent and make changes in our lives. Elder Russell M. Nelson, in his 1992 address “The Doors of Death,” taught, “Even the Savior cannot save us in our sins; He will redeem us from our sins, but only upon the condition of our repentance.” We cannot be exalted without repentance. We will never be enough if we don’t change.
While the world says, “you don’t have to change, you are enough,” Christ says, “for as long as you allow me to change you, I’ll make you enough.”
Now, please don’t misunderstand. I am not suggesting that we demand perfection of ourselves or that we should resent the person we are. Rather, I testify that true joy and lasting happiness come from trusting the Savior enough to let Him refine and transform us. Let us not be deceived by the world’s insidious messages of false comfort. Instead, let us embrace the Savior’s invitation to come unto Him, repent, and be perfected in Him.
I testify that through Jesus Christ, we can become all that our Heavenly Father created us to be. To do so, we must harness our divine discontent and choose to change. Through, and only through, Christ’s grace, can we achieve the potential The Father sees in us.