I loved this chapter. The words that really resonated with me were the following:
“underneath the dirt you know you still have a really good pair of hands,
even if it takes strong measures to get them clean.”
Satan has done well to twist our perception of ourselves and ourselves
associated with Sin. The Savior knew the trial would come about and so
he counseled, Love the Sinner, hate the sin.
They are separate, but when we sin, we start to associate ourselves
and our identity with the sin, detracting from who we really are,
and what Heavenly Father wants us to become.
If we lose sight of that dynamic relationship, we
are less likely to overcome many other temptations.
When we know who we are according to what the Holy Ghost has revealed
to us, the closer we become to Heavenly Father. Our perception changes,
as we continually seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost, our desire to sin leaves and
our availability to temptation begins to diminish.
“The way we behave is strong influenced by the picture we have of ourselves.”
Just as addiction has triggers of temptation or sin, recovery does too.
We must know and understand who we are to God, and that begins with our heart.
Elder Bendar’s book, Act in Doctrine, details the importance of understanding,
and he points out, all this happens, by way of our heart, not our mind.
Our mind plays a role in such conversions, but it is actually our heart that feels
the truth. And so, we take our old perception (like trigger) and we replace it,
with newness of perspective, life and attitude. Essentially, the Holy Ghost plays a large
role in giving us a new heart.
I have experienced this myself, as I do not always understand, I give my heart to the Lord,
in His due time, I do not always know everything, but I’m given understanding,
that braces my heart for whatever Heavenly Father has in store.
My will, slowly, becomes His.
I loved this chapter and all that it taught me.
“He (Satan) knows if he can confuse our perception of our conscience enough,
if he can get us to identify ourselves as sinners, we are that much easier to
coax us into sin.”
“We act as we believe.”
Don’t shortchange your opportunity to repent.
“When the Light of Christ, our conscience, speaks to our hearts, we must learn to react in a balanced way.”