Sometimes we come to moments in our lives when we begin to realize that the atonement must be more to us than just a fancy theology described with high-sounding words. Every now and again, the Lord places us in situations that are so difficult, that we are forced to place the faith that we speak of and bear testimony of into action. For me, this has been one of those weeks. While I won't go into the details of the struggle, I have learned, to my horror, that sometimes I have not allowed my theology to be very substantive. It is fine to speak of faith and of the power of the atonement to fix things when life is relatively easy and there is nothing that is seriously broken and in need of repair, but God expects our faith to reach deeper than fair-weather belief and eloquent pronouncements. He expects us to believe that when things are broken--particularly those things that matter most--they can be mended, repaired, and made new through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and adherence to the principles of His gospel.
Today I have realized that I have a long ways to go when it comes to sincere faith in the power of the Savior's atonement. I need to have greater faith in the Savior's ability to heal that which is broken, for if the atonement does not possess such mighty power as I in my faith proclaim it to have, then I am "of all men most miserable" (1 Corinthians 15:19).
Along those lines, I love these words of
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland:
May I learn to exercise greater faith in the redeeming and healing power of Christ's atonement, and may I come to know of His absolute power to mend all those things which we bring unto Him which are "broken, seemingly beyond repair."
Brett
I agree with what you've said. I, too, have a long way to come in putting my faith in the Savior's ability to mend all things. It's easy to see things from a mortal point of view, and think that they will never change. But the Savior doesn't just see things as they are today, thankfully he sees us as we can become. When people hurt us, or those we love, we want to fix it quickly, but we must remember to exercise patience, because healing takes time. Let's all keep encouraging each other as this process unfolds. Love you Brett!
ReplyDeleteWe all have a long way to go when learning about the atonement. The good news is, we are blessed with opportunities, trials, and experiences that allow us to come unto Christ and experience that healing for ourselves. It isn't easy and it isn't always comfortable, but in the end it is always worth it. The Savior truly can mend that which is broken, even when it seems to be broken beyond repair. The sorrow and pain can really be turned to joy, and beauty can be made from ashes if we will come unto Him. Thanks for the beautiful reminder of the hope our Savior brings. Love you Brett!
ReplyDeleteI've been blessed with many, many opportunities in this life to grab glimpses of the power of the Atonement. Each new experience, though often painful and unpleasant in the mortal sense of things, teaches me a little bit more about the eternal love of my Saviour. Truly, there is a "balm in Gilead" that has the power to cleanse and heal us of not just of sins and misdeeds, but also of those moments of intense personal pain and suffering. How grateful I am to know that the Saviour took upon himself all of this for me -- for all of us.
ReplyDeleteIf you have a moment, check out this 1987 talk by President Packer: http://www.lds.org/ensign/1987/11/balm-of-gilead?lang=eng
Love you!!