A comment was made last night at group that I really liked. It had to do with getting to a place where I no longer fear Satan, but I am focused on Christ.
If I’m always saying, “You can’t do this, you can’t do that, don’t look there, don’t think about that…” it’s a battle I can’t win. But if I’m always thinking about what Christ would do, who He is, and how He is willing to help me, I will win because He’s always there.
I went to LDS.org today to start my study and found an article about the Atonement titled “Christ’s Atonement Triumphed Over Four Obstacles.” It said the following:
The Atonement of Jesus Christ was the suffering of the Savior and His triumph over four obstacles that prevented us from having happiness in this life and eternal joy in the life to come.
The four obstacles are physical death, sin and its consequences, mortal weaknesses and imperfections, and the common ailments of life such as depression, rejection, and loneliness. Some may ask why the Atonement of Jesus Christ is necessary.
I think for a long time in my life, I only thought of the Atonement as covering sin and its consequences. I guess I knew Christ had overcome physical death as well, but I didn’t always relate that with the Atonement.
The other two obstacles, mortal weaknesses and imperfections and the common ailments of life, are good things to think about, especially in relation to living in recovery one day at a time.
One thing I’ve learned about weakness is that it’s not a sin. To have feelings, temptations, and things like that are part of our mortal experience. However, what we do with those things is where we can submit to God or give in and eventually sin.
If we humble ourselves before God, acknowledge our sins, confess them, make restitution where possible, and turn away from those transgressions—in essence we do have a change of heart—then He will wash away our sins and make us totally clean.
The article talks about how sometimes we think are sins are too grave, maybe even unforgivable. We lose hope and give up, thus giving in to even more sin.
I don’t ever want this to happen in my life.
Today I want to live in recovery, completely turn my life and will over to God, and focus on Jesus Christ, not looking back or focusing on what I shouldn’t do, but instead on what I can do to live in recovery today.
I like what this says too:
When one repents, the memory and pain of the past sin can remain, acting as a spiritual “stop sign” of sorts, Brother Callister said. But the Lord has promised that those who repent will receive a fulness of joy.
Forgetting the sins completely can be dangerous. I need to remember, from time to time, the pain and sorrow I’ve caused. I need to remember how terrible the mistakes were that I’ve made for years. Those feelings need to be a warning, a “stop sign.” But I don’t have to focus on them; instead, I can receive the fullness of joy and know that I’m utilizing the Atonement today to follow Christ and be healed.
Here are some scriptures I found that talk about how the Atonement not only helps forgive sin, but does the other things talked about in this article:
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
I really like this scripture and feel it deals with submission and will. “We have turned every one to his own way.” That’s what I’ve been doing for nearly all my life: trying to follow God’s teachings, but ultimately turning to my own way, doing what I want, and putting off the true teachings of Jesus Christ.
I’m grateful that, today, that’s not the case.
17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
Infirmities, sicknesses – I think of those as addiction and temptation – things we can’t heal with medicine or rest or will-power. Instead, we have to come unto him.
What does it mean to come unto him? To me, it means I look to Him in all things and ask for his help to heal me from my infirmities and the sicknesses of my soul.
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Again, the only way to find lasting recovery is by coming unto Him.
38 ¶Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
We can be justified from all things – weaknesses, imperfections, temptations, feelings. Christ will help us with all of these.
7 Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite atonement—save it should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man must needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more.
11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and aafflictions and btemptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will ctake upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
11 For, behold, the Lord your aRedeemer suffered bdeath in the flesh; wherefore he csuffered the dpain of all men, that all men might repent and ecome unto him.
I enjoyed today’s study and look forward to a great day!
Hasta luego!
Nate
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