The gift of repentance

Week 7 (2-21-13)

Can I just say how amazing the atonement is? No matter how many times we might mess up, make a stupid decision or wander away from Christ, all is not lost. In II Corinthians 5:17 Paul states that in Christ all old things are gone, and all things become new. We have the opportunity to put behind us our old sins and misdeeds and become a new and better person. Now it isn’t enough to simply say ‘I want to be a new person’, you have to firmly repent and forsake your sins. This whole repentance process: recognizing your sin, feeling godly sorrow, resolve to not return to the sin, reveal sin and make restitutions if necessary and finally release yourself from the weight of that sin is all made possible through Christ.  Elder D. Todd Christofferson stated that “repentance is a divine gift, and there should be a smile on our faces when we speak of it. It points us to freedom, confidence and peace” (‘Divine gift of Repentance’, Ensign, Nov 2011). I am very thankful for repentance in my own personal life. It has enabled me to be able to stop beating myself up because of mistakes that I’ve made, and has allowed me to strive to become a better person. Can you imagine what it would be like to always have every single wrong you might have committed weighing on your mind? It doesn’t have to be that way! Christ has suffered the pain of our sins so we can return to live with him and our Heavenly Father in heaven.  I can’t think of a more precious gift than that.  I implore any of you that are struggling, any of you who wish to become more—know that Christ loves you and that through him your sins can be made as white as snow and remembered no more.