It feels at times as if this mortal creature (k) is ‘light years’ away from that place that Lord wants for me. Though this is true to an extent (certainly in the very long term), Christ sees the beginning and the end and so has infinitely more patience than I have. He can see how “worth it” the end result will be for me. My negative preoccupation does not serve me or Christ’s desires for me. Such preoccupation can become an over zealous mindset defeating His influence towards me. My Savior has infinite patience, much more so than me, a mortal. Instruction / desire for change can come when I train my heart to increase in vulnerability to Christ’s teachings…and influence. At times I may adopt a preoccupation with where I ‘should be’. I may have just ‘messed up”….again! And I may ‘mess up’ a multitude of times… even on the same problem, but only become defeated when I stop looking to Jesus Christ, the only source of healing and real change. In fewer words, I learn to defy Satan by enjoying the journey and seeking to relish / embrace Christ’s influence… knowing I am mortal and filled with future mistakes to learn / grow from. k
From Moroni 10:30-33 we read:
30 And again I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing…
32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.
33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.
… 31 And awake, and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem; yea, and put on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion; and strengthen thy stakes and enlarge thy borders forever, that thou mayest no more be confounded, that the covenants of the Eternal Father which he hath made unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled.” ~ Moroni 10: 30-33. 31
Guess what…(k) welcome to mortality! The reality of this life is not an ‘instant fix’ that “lay(s) hold upon every good gift”. For now it may be ALL I can do to “touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing”(verse 30). The mortal substance, my body, that houses my spirit, is prone to mistakes and failure, and because of its fallen nature will, in this life, always be prone to mistakes and failure… Christ knows this! and wants me to use these ‘problems’ to draw close to Him. He becomes a very personal, close friend never losing concern or interest in me and my struggles… this though at times His seeming absence may be for His purposes and to my growth! Remember even He. on the cross felt forsaken of the Father and, no doubt learned from it. (Matthew 27:46)k
