How can I benefit from the Atonement when it comes to my weaknesses?
Question
Dear Gramps,
I understand that Christ’s suffering through his atonement paid the price for our sins thus allowing them to be forgiven. But how does Christ’s atonement provide for our afflictions and weaknesses? I have accepted Christ’s atonement for my life, and have felt a genuine forgiveness for my sins. But I still have my weaknesses, and they still continue to afflict me. So how therein am I benefited?
Will
Answer
Dear Will,
I have known kind, Christ-like persons with big hearts, and among the greatest challenges they face is figuring out how to help someone in need. They don’t just want a stop-gap measure; they don’t want to do something just so they feel better; they want to truly help. Your Advocate is also kind, with a big heart. And He has found a solution to this challenge.
Jesus Christ took upon Himself your “infirmities, that His bowels may be filled with mercy, … that He may know according to the flesh how to succor [you] according to [your] infirmities” (Alma 7:12). He knows what you truly need and how to provide it.
As an example of an affliction or infirmity, a friend of mine battled through cancer. She later shared with me that the best counsel she received during that time (by someone with the same experience) was that through her suffering she would get to know her Savior. Her friend knew what to say because of their common experience – just as your Savior knows how to give you relief because He has shared in your infirmity. What’s more, she used this opportunity to draw closer to God and sought for answers from Him, which is the truest light and knowledge we can receive.
The Book of Mormon also teaches that God “give[s] unto men weakness that they may be humble; … then will [God] make weak things become strong unto them” (Ether 12:27).There are sometimes cases when a person needs to be reminded of his dependence on God.
My dream calling in the Church is Sunday School teacher. It doesn’t matter what class, I just want to share what I’ve learned. I’ve spent most of my years of service in administrative callings. I’m capable of meeting expectations set for these callings, but they just don’t thrill me in the same way. If I were an arrogant man (or at least more arrogant than I am), I would think my wards were wasting my potential. I see instead, that the Lord gives me these callings so that I will turn to Him for guidance and assistance. I know management is not my particular passion, so I yoke myself to Christ and He makes me capable. If I had it my way I would rely on my own wisdom and knowledge, focusing more on the teaching than the learning. The Lord gives me callings so I will come unto Him. He then reminds me of my particular weakness (forgetting who’s classroom it is), so that when He does (occasionally) call me to teach, He can make weak things (lessons) become (spiritually) strong.
As you have personally sought for forgiveness, applying the Atonement in your life, you learned more about your Savior and His expectations and love for you. I encourage you to do the same with your afflictions and weakness. As you personally seek for succor, applying the Atonement in your life, you will learn even more about your Deliverer and His expectations and love for you.
Gramps
This question is so important because its answer enables us to understand what real help is available to us as we struggle to develop saintly characters. As I have studied this, I have come to believe that it is specifically through Christ’s Grace that we receive help. And I have come to understand that his Grace is real and powerful. A good start to understanding this is the Bible dictionary definition of Grace. The essence is that it is the enabling and strengthening power of the Atonement. When you understand the true definition of Grace, all of the scriptures that talk of Grace suddenly take on a new, more meaningful power. There are two talks I consider critical in understanding this concept: 1) Elder Bednar’s talk entitiled “In the Strength of the Lord.” This talk is indispensable. 2) Brad Wilcox’s talk “His Grace is Sufficient.” There are a few things in that talk that are not 100% doctrinal, so it may be better to read the version that was later released in the Ensign. It is one of the most insightful talks I have studied regarding this topic. However, neither of these talks specifically explain exactly “how” that grace manifests itself in our lives to help us.
My personal experience is that a large portion of this real help comes through the Holy Ghost. Through Christ’s Grace, the Holy Ghost is able to influence in our lives in so many ways that help us to overcome our weaknesses. Personally, the way the Holy Ghost has helped me in my weaknesses has been by giving me spiritual insight as to who God desires for me to become – I’m given glimpses sometimes of what the Lord will use me for, how he will use my talents, if I but strive to live righteously. This gives me great motivation to overcome temptation. Also, the Holy Ghost often gives me clarity in moments when I’m tempted to fall into some kind of sin: He will help me see the sin for what it really is. The Holy Ghost also influences me to soften my heart when I feel like being prideful or rebelling. He also gives me general spiritual understanding and insight about the truthfulness of the Gospel and helps me feel the true joy that comes with striving to be converted. All of this has, for me, been life changing. It is how I have seen the hand of the Lord in my personal life.
One last thing: there’s this misconception that we have to be worthy to benefit from Christ’s Grace. To me, this idea defeats the entire purpose of the Atonement and Christ’s Grace. This help, this power of Christ’s Grace is available to anyone at any time, no matter where they are on the path (or off the path). That is the true miracle. I believe his Grace, this real power, will prompt, nudge and encourage even the vile sinner to reconsider his sinful state. It will help the unworthy but guilt ridden member of the Church who wants to be clean but feels powerless. It will help the worthy man or woman become more refined, overcome whatever weaknesses they have. It will help the faithful member of the Church who is addicted to pornography, even if that person is in a spiral of addictive relapse. Simply no person is beyond reach from the power of Christ’s Grace. It is available to anyone, right now.
Some people believe we have to be worthy to be influenced by the Holy Ghost. While it is true doctrine that we can only enjoy the accompaniment of the Holy Ghost if we are worthy, I believe also that the Holy Ghost will strive to soften the heart and encourage the person who is in sin, unworthy, or has a hard heart. That person may not receive the same kind of ongoing guidance of the Holy Ghost that we are promised through our worthiness, but I absolutely believe the Holy Ghost is at work on all God’s children in an effort to influence them to repent and overcome their weaknesses.
It’s so crazy to read the response to this question. I was just recently called to teach Sunday school, 12-13. And I’ve always an honest desire to not just share my knowledge, (which mine really isn’t that great) but to really “reach” them, in a way I wasn’t reached at their age. But while I could plan the lesson every week, and learn a lot myself, I would get to church and I can’t think straight, I forget things, I stumble over my words, have a hard time finding the right words, even things I have an opinion on I go blank. Best way to describe it is multiple brain farts over a period of an hour. Very awkward… This month the lessons are OF COURSE about the Atonement. And it was also ward conference, so I had the “blessing” of having 5 stake visitors. I had been praying about this issue, and for help in teaching by the spirit, and that they would feel the spirit. Well in making a comment about how I can’t get through a talk by Elder Holland without tearing up, because we were reading a quote by him, I not only teared up I COMPLETELY LOST IT lol. I mean full on sobbing. I couldn’t even talk for like 5 minutes. This is very uncharacteristic of me, I don’t like to cry in front of people. It didn’t occur to me until later that day, that I got my answer to my prayer just not quite the way I had expected lol. Luckily also one of the stake visitors took that and pointed out to my class (of 13) what it was that I was experiencing, since I was unable to. Your answer to this question just further clarifies this. I needed to be humbled, and taught that I need to rely on Him more, which is something I struggle with, because I’m the kind of person who doesn’t like to ask for help.