I woke up this morning with this thought on my mind, how blessed I've been these past few years. Then I thought of how important it is to let others know of the constant struggle there is had when an individual is trying to live by the laws of the Gospel. The laws of the Celestial Kingdom where our Father lives requires perfection. We must rid ourselves of selfishness, greed, unholy lusts...etc... These things take time, so this is why He calls upon us, DAILY, to repent. What I've discovered is that when we begin to accept His ways the word "repent" becomes an invitation and not a word that feels like a thorn. We are invited to come to Christ all the time Alma 5:33.We are invited to come unto to Christ and be perfected in him through His mercy and grace.
We are taught that this is the time for us to prepare to meet God, that today is the day and there will come a time when no work can be performed. That day does not come however until we are resurrected. We have until that time to overcome everything that keeps us from fully being committed. Some of us will need that much time to overcome. Paul taught in 2 Corinthians 12 of the weaknesses he had but that someday they would be made strengths. While Jesus' body lay in the tomb His spirit was in the world of spirits where we all go to await the day of our resurrection. There, he organized and taught and sent others to those who had not qualified for His presence. Thus in His infinite mercy giving us a little more time to get it right. We find this in 1 Peter 3:18-20.
The drawback to waiting till then is that it takes much longer. Elder Melvin J. Ballard taught,
"Some folks
hope they may lose their sins in the grave. There is no hope that sins
will be lost in the grave, for 'as we lay our bodies down so shall we
take them up again,' it is written.
What we
will discover is this, that the spirit takes upon itself the habits of
the body. There are many spirits that have come into mortality free,
that have become enslaved through yielding to the cravings of the flesh.
They will find when they come out of the body that they are tainted and
tinctured with all the lust and desires of the body. Instead of being
free to rise to glorious heights, they are more or less earthbound,
craving the things that they have yielded to in the flesh, and they will
discover too that after they have stepped out of this life they are
separated from the body and have no power over that element, but the
reformation will have to go forward in the spirit. They will also
discover that every emotion and feeling will be intensified when they
have passed out of mortality, so that it will be much more difficult to
conquer and master and overcome when we go out of this life than here
and now.
This is the one and only time most fitting and appropriate. Now is the time to repent.
Another thing we will discover is that when we are separated from this body we will feel in bondage...
Man and woman will not come up in the resurrection of the dead until they have conquered and mastered and have overcome. That is why it will take some a thousand years
longer to get ready for their resurrection than others who will come
forth in the morning of the first resurrection. So there is not only
safety and protection against the assaults of the enemy of our souls
here and now by adhering to these simple gospel principles which the
Master has given. Such adherence will not only steel and fortify us
against all the assaults of the enemy of our souls and protect us in
this present conflict but will also bring us eternal joy and happiness;
for blessed is he that overcometh, for unto him shall all things be
given.
Let us
therefore uphold these standards. Let us cleave to them and we shall
discover that though Satan shall rage in the hearts of men—and he
will—we shall stand in holy places and shall not be moved and shall be
with the victorious."
So we see the need to start today, this is why Father has sent angels, prophets, teachers, parents, and missionaries, so that we may have time to work out the sins that so easily lead us astray.
I know that Jesus has done His part, but we must still do ours by repenting ans leaning on his power and promises that we can do better. I love Him.
