The journey out of Mormonism can be very challenging. It is important to be patient with yourself as you make this transition. Remember that this is a process and it is not necessarily going to happen overnight. Nevertheless, God is at work and you are on His time.
Do not compare
Every individual’s journey will have a different time frame. This can be daunting and frustrating. You may wonder why the process is taking so long or why you continue to struggle with the same issues. Unfortunately, it is easy to compare or expect a certain timeline. After all, you are coming out of a orderly church where things are laid out at a certain time. You may meet people who have come out of Mormonism, but their journey looks different. You may wonder why and feel like you did something wrong. Just remember that every story is different. Do not compare your journey to others’. If you do you usually end up feeling worse. You end up comparing your worst to someone else’s best. Remember, God brought you out of the LDS church and He is with you on this journey every step of the way. It is important that every story is different.
Be patient with yourself
It is easy to beat yourself up over a variety of things. This is not a helpful habit. Be patient with yourself. It is normal to feel embarrassed or ashamed that you followed man’s laws for so long and not God’s. You may feel foolish and regret pouring money and time into this religious system. Even though regret is natural and part of the process, remember that God had you there for a reason. It is all part of His divine plan.
One way to be patient with yourself is to recall where you came from. The Mormon church is an abusive system in many ways. It is an all-encompassing culture, experience, and identity. You cannot expect things to change overnight. This journey is challenging for everyone, but especially if you were born and raised LDS or live in a strong LDS cultural setting. It is all you have known. It takes time to transition out of such an all-encompassing religion.
Trust the process to God
Part of being patient with yourself is trusting the process to God. How do you get to that place of trust? First of all, realize that God is the One who let the scales far from your eyes and showed you that the church is not true. This shows that He can reach you where you are at. Then, lean on Him and look to Him throughout the entire journey. He will get you where He wants you to be. Know that you can trust Him with the past and future. All those “wasted” years and regrets are part of God’s plan and story too. Now trust Him with your destination and the timeline He has set to get you there.
Be patient with yourself. It is a long journey and important not to compare yourself to others. You can trust God to see you through and to tato take you where He wants you to be.
