I am learning that Christ will always lead me to a better place than I have been before, even when at times it doesn't seem like it for a season. Sometimes I am tempted to look at where I am today - with new weaknesses revealed, or new challenges I'm facing, or ways I'm stretching, and I wonder if I'm making progress spiritually or going backwards! Sometimes I wonder why I can't be where I've been before (i.e. "Why can't my scripture study be as deep or meaningful as it was in college or as a missionary?" "Why do I seem to be getting less patient rather than more?") but I am reminded of the principle taught in this scripture:
"And now, my beloved brethren, seeing that our merciful God has given us so great knowledge concerning these things, let us remember him, and lay aside our sins, and not hang down our heads, for we are not cast off; nevertheless, we have been driven out of the land of our inheritance; but we have been led to a better land"
I need to remember and trust that God is leading me to a better land. Often we are called to give up things as they were before because if we were to stay there we would stagnate or even be destroyed in some ways. God is interested in our movement and our progress. He will teach and prepare us one step at a time and will lead us to where He needs us to be, but we have to trust that process and have hope that we are growing and becoming who He needs us to be. We are not cast off - we are moving toward a better land and need to stay by the Lord's side and heed His direction. That gives me tremendous hope and gratitude for God's love and interest in my personal journey to a better "land".
A true knowledge of our merciful God and our Redeemer is how we develop faith unto repentance. In Alma 34:15 we learn that “this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance.” We must believe and trust in this mercy that doesn’t rob justice but overpowers it! Love this quote from February’s visiting teaching message by D. Todd Christofferson “The power of His Atonement can erase the effects of sin in us. When we repent, His atoning grace justifies and cleanses us. It is as if we had not succumbed, as if we had not yielded to temptation.” When we remember Him and His mercy we truly will not “hang down our heads” but we will look up and go forward with faith, believing, repenting and coming unto Him who is mighty to save!
I am learning that Christ will always lead me to a better place than I have been before, even when at times it doesn't seem like it for a season. Sometimes I am tempted to look at where I am today - with new weaknesses revealed, or new challenges I'm facing, or ways I'm stretching, and I wonder if I'm making progress spiritually or going backwards! Sometimes I wonder why I can't be where I've been before (i.e. "Why can't my scripture study be as deep or meaningful as it was in college or as a missionary?" "Why do I seem to be getting less patient rather than more?") but I am reminded of the principle taught in this scripture:
ReplyDelete"And now, my beloved brethren, seeing that our merciful God has given us so great knowledge concerning these things, let us remember him, and lay aside our sins, and not hang down our heads, for we are not cast off; nevertheless, we have been driven out of the land of our inheritance; but we have been led to a better land"
I need to remember and trust that God is leading me to a better land. Often we are called to give up things as they were before because if we were to stay there we would stagnate or even be destroyed in some ways. God is interested in our movement and our progress. He will teach and prepare us one step at a time and will lead us to where He needs us to be, but we have to trust that process and have hope that we are growing and becoming who He needs us to be. We are not cast off - we are moving toward a better land and need to stay by the Lord's side and heed His direction. That gives me tremendous hope and gratitude for God's love and interest in my personal journey to a better "land".
Your thoughts are insightful! Thanks!
DeleteLove the talk you linked by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf. Thanks
ReplyDeleteA true knowledge of our merciful God and our Redeemer is how we develop faith unto repentance. In Alma 34:15 we learn that “this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance.” We must believe and trust in this mercy that doesn’t rob justice but overpowers it! Love this quote from February’s visiting teaching message by D. Todd Christofferson “The power of His Atonement can erase the effects of sin in us. When we repent, His atoning grace justifies and cleanses us. It is as if we had not succumbed, as if we had not yielded to temptation.” When we remember Him and His mercy we truly will not “hang down our heads” but we will look up and go forward with faith, believing, repenting and coming unto Him who is mighty to save!
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