Thursday, September 26, 2013

The Courage to Repent

I had started to write an article on the power of repentance…but then I read this article that seems to say it so much better than I can.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-football/news/20130925/spencer-hadley-byu/

If you have not read this…I STRONGLY encourage you to.  Whatever your feelings about BYU football are (I’m a UTE fan)…this is a fantastic example of the atonement at work.  The kid messed up…he’s trying to repent. I’m sure he’s hugely embarrassed and what’s more, he’s having to do all this in a spotlight.  He’s just starting the repentance process, but it appears that he’s on the right path.

It’s going to take some serious courage for him to continue on his path.  He let himself, his family, his team down.  He could have let this incident crush him, but he is a warrior.  This will only make him stronger.

The path of sin will always lead to self destructive behavior and sadness.

Satan will do all he can to keep you there.  He will lie about everything. He will tell you that you aren’t worth redeeming, that people will judge you, that the Bishop will be so disappointed in you and you will just be humiliated and embarrassed.  And he will convince you that you are better off just continuing to sin because that is what normal people do.

The biggest lie that he will tell you is that you are not hurting anybody.  This blatantly denies the atonement.  Remember that Jesus Christ suffered and bleed for ALL sin, pain and hardship.  ALL of it…not just the ones that we choose to repent of but EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM.  That means EVERY pain, EVERY sin, EVERY bit of suffering that you and I experience and indulge in caused the Savior of the world to BLEED.  You can’t tell me that your sin didn’t hurt anybody, because it hurt HIM.

The path of the warrior is one of hardship, courage and respect.  This is the path of redemption and repentance. 

Man up.  Own up.  Understand that we are all weak, we all fall, we all need repentance and the power of the atonement.  There isn’t a better example than someone who is willing to humble themselves enough to own their weakness.

“And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.” Ether 12:27

NO FEAR – NO WHINING – NO REGRETS

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