Clearing Clutter
During my career, I would have periods of super intense and confusing work. I would focus on the work and look for solutions. The harder I worked, the messier my desk became. Papers and books and pens and candy wrappers and tupperware and stuff.
Eventually, the desk would become a problem—it got in the way of my thinking, my clarity. But I did not want to clean it. It just seemed easier to press forward. Through experience, I learned that stopping the madness and cleaning my desk really helped. It would clarify things, help me figure out what to do next. It always worked.
I think our lives (mine and yours) are like my desk. Sometimes we keep pushing forward looking for solutions—allowing our lives (desks) to get messier and messier—when we actually need to stop and clean it up.
This past year, I have learned things about Jesus and repentance that I did not understand before. I have learned things from the Spirit that are changing me (in a really good way).
For example, I know, even more than before, that Heavenly Father is real. I still have a bunch of concerns and questions. But my testimony of Him is even stronger than before. Jesus is real. The Holy Ghost is real. Heavenly Father gave a power to Jesus that allows Jesus to “redeem” us. That is another way of saying that Heavenly Father gave to Jesus Christ power to heal us from the inside out—to make us whole spiritually, give us peace, help us feel accepted and protected by Him. Redemption makes things clear and OK (even with the crazy happening around us).
I hate the phrase “calling someone to repentance.” People use it wrong. It creates bad misunderstandings. Repentance is a good thing. A happy thing. It is the way God helps us organize our souls. When we sincerely repent, Heavenly Father and Mother and Jesus experience great joy, not sadness. They know us and what we have done. They are not surprised or angry.
Why does repentance make them happy? Because it unleashes a real power in the universe (the power of redemption) that Jesus possesses. Repentance is the conduit through which we can receive his healing power and feel order and peace. (Helaman 5:11).
But that power cannot be unleashed unless and until each of us decides to repent. We--you and me and most other people--get stubborn. We keep trying to find other solutions to escape our problems. We think, “repentance has nothing to do with my problems. I need real help.” Human nature goes from crisis to crisis and confusion to confusion, ignoring the one thing that will really help us (cleaning the dang desk).
I have learned—even more-- that we cannot skip this step of repentance. And we cannot circumvent God´s way to repent. For example, many missionaries are afraid to confess things to me. They think I will be disappointed in them. So, they try to repent on their own. It never works. When they finally realize this, they come see me. When they see my joy because of their efforts, they are surprised. But I am happy for them, not sad. I read D&C 18:12-13 with them. I know that they are starting the healing process. And they feel so much better, almost immediately.
I invite you to read Helaman chapter 5 (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/hel/5?lang=eng) and learn as I learned a new perspective on repentance through the experience of Nephi and his brother Lehi among the Lamanites (vs 21-52). We often don’t realize it, but our sins hang over us like a cloud of darkness (as indicated in these verses) that make our lives complicated and confusing. If we take the time to repent, we can have the healing power of the atonement (pillar of fire) which will bring us peace and joy as well as protection from the influence of satan.
