Often, I find myself feeling down because of my many mistakes, all the people I have let down over my life, and my great sins. Having failed so many times, sometimes I want to just entirely give up. Perhaps someone can relate to me…
In these scriptures from Paul (attached at the end), I find motivational during such circumstances.
In short, many of us, up until recently, have given our lives over to sin. Quite simply, we sinned against ourselves, our bodies, our families, those who tried to help us, our neighbors, and even God. But now that we have tasted of the goodness of God, we have been called higher. We are called out of sin, out of depression, out of fear and sadness, out of fleshly lusts, out of worldly distractions. We are called to a holier place, to the very camp of God. The time is now to join God’s side. Forget the past, cast away all of your mistakes, and, without looking back, let us sign up to join the army of God. This will require discipline, diligence, and, sometimes, heartbreak. But it is worth it. As you embark in the service of your God, everything in your life will start to change, slowly at first, until you gain momentum. Holy living will no longer feel like a chore or unsatisfying. Instead, you will regain hope and purpose, you will start to see the darkness in your mind retreat, and ultimately you will begin to find the light of God inside of yourself. This is the goal of our race; now let us find purpose and satisfaction by embarking with our whole heart to run this race to the finish line, so that when we are before the bar of God we can be told “well done, my good and faithful servant”.
At the heart of our struggle for holiness lies an archetypal choice: to surrender our agency for fleeting, artificial pleasure, or to pursue that which is higher—even when it leaves the body miserable (Hebrews 11:25, Galatians 5:17, Romans 8:13). This same choice appears in many forms. Do we prefer blissful ignorance, or the often-painful clarity of knowledge—knowing that only through knowledge can we be truly free to choose (Hosea 4:6, John 8:32)? Do we choose comfort in weakness, or the burden of strength (Joshua 1:9)? Choosing strength, after all, confronts us with a sobering truth: that every moment we settled for less, we did so by choice. Strength requires us to do what the body resists in order to fulfill the will of our spirit (1 Corinthians 9:27, Galatians 6:8). Dumbledore expresses another perspective of this choice: “We must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy.” But Nephi explains this choice best in 2 Nephi 2:27:
27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.
Indeed, following the Gospel is not easy (Acts 14:22, 2 Timothy 2:3), but I can promise you that it is worth it (Romans 8:18). It bring light to your life (John 8:12, 2 Corinthians 4:6) and stores treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:19–20).
Ephesians 2:1–6
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Ephesians 4:22–24
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Philippians 3:13–14
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 12:1–2
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Ether 12:4
4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.
Romans 6:17–22
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Colossians 3:5–17
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
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