Tuesday, March 15, 2011

1 Nephi 2:18 -- The Lord Can Heal the Effects of Our Mistakes

 . . . and being grieved because of the hardness of their hearts. . .

Sometimes, we postpone rejoicing in our recovery, because we know that our own past hardness of heart toward the Lord contributed to other peoples’ hearts being wounded and hardened–kind of like a whole line of dominoes falling and knocking the next one down.  How do we ever undo all the long-range damage we’ve contributed to?  What if someone we’ve caused to harden their heart won’t allow us to make amends?  Sometimes, we have to let go and go on, trusting that there is no stubbornness (hardness of heart) so long or so intense that God can’t or won’t forgive it.

As we continue our new life, walking and counseling with Him, we will see our shortcomings turned to our benefit and the benefit of others as we act as "pioneers" and “scouts” for them.  Just as they chose in the past to follow us in paths that avoided the Lord, we can pray they will eventually follow our example of repenting and turning to the Lord.  In recovery, we must be willing to model a soft heart for them, so that they won’t have to travel as long without knowing God as we did.
   
It is never too late for any of us to begin again.  The old adage that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks," is based on a two serious fallacies (lies).  The first one is obvious: we aren’t dogs.  The second fallacy is a little more subtle. Turning to God and being in a close, personal relationship with Him God isn’t something new to our spiritual selves.  In recovery we are returning or recovering our eternal relationship with Him which we had before we came into mortality. We are never lost to our Heavenly Father or our Savior Jesus Christ, and neither is anyone else we might have stumbled into in our own blindness and foolish choices.  As long as we don't give up on Them or on ourselves, we can be have a perfect brightness of hope that someday the effects of all our mistakes will be healed. 

Prayer Thought: Lord, help me to let go of the fact that I’ve said and done things that have challenged others.  Help me to see the truth that Thou can not only soften my heart, but also the hearts of those I have challenged along the way.

© 2011 Colleen C. Harrison

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