Thursday, February 3, 2011

Repentance and a Fresh View

Day thirty-four

This morning I am filled with gratitude towards my husband, he has been the only financial support for our family for many years which has allowed me the opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom.  He has stuck with it, even through the hard times, with an understanding that this is what the Lord wanted us to do. He has even stood up for me when others seem to demean the importance of a stay-at-home mom. 

I admit my prayer this morning was filled with a lot of mushy love words and even some tears as I thanked the Lord for the great blessing He has given me in my husband.  I am so grateful for a wonderful man in my life who helps me to be the person I need to be. 

This morning I continue with Article of Faith 4.  My focus today is on Repentance.

As I was searching for the definition of repentance I came across these words:

In the Greek Translation: Repentance denotes a change of mind, i.e., a fresh view about God, about oneself, and about the world. (BD:Bible Dictionary)

I like this explanation because it makes it clear that a change from within must happen and then explains the results of the change.  I had never thought about repentance in these terms and was intrigued to search some more.

Change
Self-improvement must be powered by the Spirit!

We choose what we let motivate us, whether it be our own weaknesses (human nature) or the strength of the Spirit.  There are some great verses in Galatians 5:16-17 that talks about this:

"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh."
"For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."

I once read this explanation for this battle within:

"When you have faith in Christ you become a new person (born again).  This new self wants what the Spirit wants.  But your old self is still hanging around too, and is always looking for a chance to elbow its way in and exert it's will.  It's a struggle you'll deal with constantly as long as you are on the side of heaven" (Words to Live By for Teens)

It goes on to explain that the only way for us to overcome our weak self is to accept the power of the Spirit to guide us.  Because of this constant battle between 'selves' repentance is a daily thing.  We must choose to surrender everyday to the will of the Spirit, asking not only for strength to do what's right, but also right desires that overcome the desires of our human nature.

A Fresh View

We have been taught that repentance is asking God for forgiveness and is motivated by love for God and a sincere desire to obey His commandments.  We do this by having faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, having faith in prayer, and having faith in the power of the Atonement. (Alma 34:17), and following the steps of the repentance process: godly sorrow (2 Cor 7:10); confession (Pro. 28:13); abandonment of sin (D&C 58:43); restitution (Guide to the Scriptures); and righteous living (D&C 1:32).  I decided to take a closer look at how each of these elements plays a part in the changes brought about by repentance.

A Fresh View about God
For me there is something about feeling godly sorrow and confession that brings me closer to Heavenly Father and the Savior.  Recognizing that I have offended them by my actions helps me to understand their importance in my life.  I cannot make the changes needed without their help. It brings about a remembrance in my heart that they love me and that I love them too.  My actions need to reflect that love.

A Fresh View of Oneself
I am usually guilty of sin when I forget who I am.  I become too wrapped up in my problems here on earth that I forget to see the eternal perspective. It is when that eternal perspective returns that I am able to make the abandonment of sin a priority.  I remember that without repentance there can be no progress in the things of the soul's salvation, it's not optional, it's a commandment of God.  There is an inner strength that comes with knowing who you are and knowing that you are able to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost.  You feel better about yourself.

A Fresh View of the World
When I am burdened with sin I do not see the world as a place of joy and happiness. How can I? I have allowed Satan to tempt me and he is the master of misery.  It is usually a time when I feel alone.  However, the restitution and righteous living elements  help me to put the world in perspective.  Making things right with others brings back a sense of family that is missing when there is contention.  And living righteously just brings so many blessings that the worldly problems seem to fade in importance. 

I enjoyed this study session.  I like looking at things from a different perspective and I got that opportunity with this topic.  I feel a desire to walk more by the Spirit and to tell the weak self to take a hike.  I am also grateful that I am not expected to take this journey alone, nor should I!




  

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