Sacrament Talk

Just wanted to document my talk from today, given in Sacrament meeting.  David spoke on Repentance as well.

 

 

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I was asked to give a talk on Repentance.  I will be referring a lot to a talk given by Elder Richard G. Scott titled, “Finding Forgiveness.”

None of us wake up in the morning, lie in bed and think, “What sin can I commit today?”  I think I can safely say that everyone in this room who has made the effort to come to church today really wants to do what is right in life.  But we all get distracted.  We all make small choices that eventually lead to big mistakes.  

Elder M. Russell Ballard said, “Sin will always, always, result in suffering.  It may come sooner, or it may come later, but it will come.”

There is a song that I would like to share with you by the group Casting Crowns called “Slow Fade.”  It speaks of “Little Eyes” and “Little Feet” but young and old can learn much from the lyrics.

Be careful little eyes what you see
It's the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings
Be careful little feet where you go
For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow

Be careful little ears what you hear
When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near
Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray 
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day

Daddies never crumble in a day
Families never crumble in a day

It's a slow fade

Just like this song says, we have been taught in church and general conferences that Satan rarely tempts us with the big things.  He starts slowly with the little things.  It is a slow fade, like this song says.  Sometimes we forget that and in so we end up justifying small sins.  Years ago I was in a Sunday school class with my husband where types of sin were being brought up.  A certain comment made, indicated that it really only matters how severe the sin is.  David turned to me and said, “Sin is sin.  It doesn’t matter what the severity of the sin is because any sin will keep you from the presence of God.”  Think about that for a moment.

Moses 6:25

We can have 2 reactions to that.

 We can believe that all hope is lost because if something as minor as thinking bad thoughts will keep us from the presence of God just as much as if we actually did what we thought, well, there is no hope for any of us.  Or…

We can marvel at the magnitude of the importance Christ’s sacrifice just really was and is. 

Elder Scott said, “Only the life, teachings, and particularly the atonement of Jesus Christ can release us from this otherwise impossible predicament.  Each of us has made mistakes, large or small, which if unresolved will keep us from the presence of God.  For this reason, the atonement of Jesus Christ is the single most significant event that ever has or ever will occur.  This selfless act of infinite consequence, performed by a single glorified personage, has eternal impact in the life of every son and daughter of our Father in Heaven – without exception.  It shatters the bonds of death.  It justifies our finally being judged by the Master.  It can prevent an eternity under the control of the devil.”

We have been taught many times the process of repentance.  We need to have sorrow for the sin, we need to let go of the sin, we need to confess the sin, we need to make the sin right if at all possible and we need to commit to never do it again.  These are all pretty self-explanatory, especially since we have been taught this many times.  

I personally think that he hardest part of the repentance process, and what usually is what keeps us from repenting, is the part where we commit never to do the sin again.  It’s not that we don’t want to give this sin up because at this point, when we are ready to begin the repentance process, we feel guilt and want it gone.  So it’s not that we don’t want to give the sin up, it is just that in all reality, we are more than likely going to commit the same exact sin.  That very sin that you truly believed, while during the repentance process, that you would never do again.  Whether it be having negative thoughts about a person or the desire to start back up an addiction, no matter how small or large the sin, life has a way of putting us in daily situations where we will be tempted to do those very sins that we committed NEVER to do again.  

So, is all lost?  Can we never be truly forgiven because we keep messing up?  No!  This is where I feel we convince ourselves to stay in the sin.  We have asked for forgiveness so many times, well, there has to be a limit, right?  Eventually God is going to not believe us anymore when we say we won’t commit a certain sin again because eventually we fall right back in the process of committing that sin, right?  

Let me ask you something.  If you were sitting in front of a dear friend right now and that friend was confessing to you an addiction or sin that he or she seems to keep committing, would you not encourage him or her to keep trying?  Would you not build him or her up with all the things they have done right in their effort to not sin again?  Of course you would love that friend and give encouragement.  YET, when it is ourselves who are in the same exact position, we beat ourselves up in the most unforgiving manner.  As if the rules somehow change just because we are now the ones in that cycle of sin.  The Lord loves us.  Plain and simple.  And He always wants us to return to Him.  His arms are always open.  We just have to be willing to take that step forward, into His arms.  He will do the rest.  He will encircle His arms around you and do the rest that is needed to make sure you can be in Heavenly Father’s presence again.  

I would like to end with Elder Scott’s testimony of repentance.  He said,

“…with all the tenderness and sincerity of heart I invite each one of you to thoughtfully review your life.  Have you deviated from the standards that you know will bring happiness?  Is there a dark corner that needs to be cleaned out?  Are you now doing things that you know are wrong?  Do you fill your mind with unclean thoughts?  When it is quiet and you can think clearly, does your conscience tell you to repent?  

For your peace now and for everlasting happiness, please repent.  Open your heart to the Lord and ask Him to help you.  You will earn the blessing of forgiveness, peace, and the knowledge you have been purified and made whole.  Find courage to ask the Lord for strength to repent, now.”