There’s lots of room for regret in life, isn’t there. It seems that no matter what we do it will never be enough. And the truth is that it isn’t. But that is why the Atonement of Jesus Christ is so beautiful. But I feel guilty that I need it. I feel like I should be better. I know I can be better, there are plenty of things I can improve -- but I know although I may be my best self I will still fall short. And that is when Christ buoys us up, if we let Him.
It’s important to realize the important things in life, the way to spend our time -- with people and not with things. It wouldn’t be possible to spend all our time visiting the people we love, although we would jump at the opportunity to do so. But we have other responsibilities in life too. We can spend as many short amounts of time with the people we love and we will still look back and wish we could have done more. And still we look back and think, “Was it enough? Could I have done more? Should I have done more? Did they wish I would have done more?” We learn our lessons the hard way in life, and it’s tough, some times are tougher than others. But even though this is the case, I find there is a ray of sunshine through all the gloom. We cannot forget Christ, even in our darkest moments. It is because of Him that we truly can and will live again, and will be able to live with those we love forever. This life is only a test, a time for us to learn lessons the hard way, the way we wanted and needed it to be, so we could truly learn so we could become like God and receive everything He has. I guess part of this lesson learning is learning about hope, which comes because of Christ, that we can prevail through anything together with Him, and also learning that we really need Him. We can’t progress without Him, in this life or the next. His Atonement allows us to repent, to break the chains of sin and guilt and any affliction, and also the chains and sting of death. Because death does sting, it hurts when someone you love passes away from this life, but because of Christ’s Atonement, which includes His death and Resurrection, this life that we know on earth is not the end. It is a beautiful thing to think about the next life. We don’t know much about it, but we do know some things -- especially we know that it exists, that we will continue to exist, but in a different way. And eventually we will all be resurrected and we will live in the way we were meant to live. On Earth, our mortal bodies, our earthly homes for our spirits, become frail. But our spirits remain active and alive, wishing to do all that we want to do, but can’t because our mortal bodies limit us. Death seems to be a free-ing of self -- no more restrictions, no more pain, no more sorrow. It is a good thing, it is a happy thing. Yet we mourn because we are stuck in this life, on earth, without those we love who have passed on. But I believe they don’t mourn, but are awaiting us to join them once again.
How do you deal with death? I think that’s a question everyone asks themselves. I’m sure everyone has their own way. I guess this is part of mine.
How do I let the Atonement work in my life in dealing with this regret and guilt? I don’t know how it works, but I do know that it does work. The trick I guess is figuring out how to use it, how to give it all to Him. Christ has suffered all things for us already, so we won’t be tied down in all our pain and suffering and shortcomings, but that we can be free. Not so everything negative is taken away from us, but so we can know that everything will be okay, that this isn’t the end and we should and can keep trying to do better. Christ’s Atonement allows us to move forward, even though things in life sometimes get us down, and sometimes hold us back. It doesn’t take all the pain away, and it doesn’t remove our memories, but it is the door we can pass through to the next chapter or phase in our lives -- We can look back and remember and learn from our past without having to be held captive by it, and also we are able to look forward with a ‘brightness of hope.’ It is because of this we are able to feel real joy in our lives. I think this is at least part of the reason why people often comment about how people who belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or the nickname for our religion - Mormons) are “always happy,” or something to that effect. It’s because of the knowledge of the Atonement. Anyone can have the same hope and joy. It’s in one’s belief and use of Christ’s Atonement that it is made possible.
It's OK to cry. It's OK to feel sad. We just shouldn't let it hold us back.
The Atonement of Christ and faith in Christ are directly and inseparably related. When we have faith in Him, we are having faith and believing in everything He did for us -- in His Atonement. Let Christ work in your life. Let Him in. He stands at the door and knocks, His arms are stretched out, He is waiting for you. Come unto Him.
