Rel 211- Week 3

The most important thing that I took away from this week's Scripture studies was regarding Christ's message on change, forgiveness, humility and discipleship. What struck me was that repentance is not simply making corrections; it is an ongoing process of changing our lives so that we reflect Christ more each day. As I studied Matthew 14-18, Mark 6-9, Luke 9 and John 6-10, I began to see that repentance is about being humbled enough to realize what changes are needed, then allowing the Savior to assist you in those changes.

Matthew 18:3 states: "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." To me, this verse shows how little children are both humble and open to learning, and they quickly forgive others. In order to repent, one has to be humble enough to acknowledge areas needing improvement and allow Christ to assist you in making those improvements. Often times, however, pride gets in the way of doing so, whether it be in our relationships with family members or with people who are very close to us. A quote which influenced my perspective during this past week is from Joseph F. Smith: "I believe in the principle of repentance because I have tried it and I know it to be good."What I find so interesting about this quote is that it reminds me that repentance brings spiritual peace, rather than guilt. When we truly regret the wrong we did, correct the wrong done, and begin moving towards Christ again, we spiritually lighten. Rather than remain "stuck" in feelings of guilt or frustration due to sin, repentance gives us the opportunity to move forward.

Luke 9:23 is another scripture that was brought to my attention:
"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." When reading Luke 9:23, I recognized the use of the word "daily". While repentance for greater sins is certainly possible, it is equally true that we practice repentance through smaller acts of kindness, love, patience, and forgiveness each day. To me personally, I have been attempting to improve my ability to be patient, particularly in parenting circumstances. This week reinforced within me that personal and spiritual growth occurs gradually as we continually attempt and rely upon Christ.

I appreciated Peter's response in John 6:68 after many disciples quit following Christ because His teaching had grown too hard: "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life." John 6:68 reminds me that no matter how difficult following Christ become, He is still the wellspring of all things related to peace and hope. No matter how enticing temporary answers from the world may appear, long-term change only occurs through Him. Perhaps one of the greatest lessons I learned this week is that Jesus Christ patiently waits for us as we learn/grow - He doesn't require immediate perfection - He simply wants us to continue striving, repenting and following Him. I am convinced that repentance is a gift and not a punishment - and through Jesus Christ we can develop and change to be better each day.

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