It Takes Time

One of the hardest things about making personal changes and repenting of long time sins is the frustrating tug-o-war between what we desire-to change and be free from addictions- and what we do-repeatedly falling back on old behaviors. This battle can often leave us feeling overcome by our weaknesses and concluding that there is no hope for change. These feelings of despair are nothing but lies the adversary would have us believe.

In his book Following Christ, Stephen Robinson speaks beautifully to this very issue. He says :

Since repenting is “turning” ourselves around, I think a useful analogy can be drawn from the navy. When a captain decides to turn a battleship or an aircraft carrier, it takes some time for the ship to come around. Though the decision has been made, the order has been given, and the change is being carried out, it still takes some time to bring the ship about. So in our lives the decisions for Christ can be truly and genuinely made, the order truly given and carried out, yet it can still take some time and space to overcome the natural resistance of the carnal self and make the complete turn. There will be rejoicing when the turn is complete and we have perfected part or all of our lives, but should we die before it’s done, the Lord will still credit us for making the right decision, for issuing the appropriate orders and attempting to carry them out in our lives- the rest would have been just a matter of time.

Some may ask, how is that possible? The answer is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Because of what Christ did for all of us we can rely on His merits to bless and even complete our efforts to make needed changes in our lives. This has been true in my life to be sure. I have struggled and wrestled with weaknesses and behaviors, but I can testify that I have felt the blessings of the Atonement even as I have been struggling to make changes. It is like feeling a divine encouragement, a spiritual cheerleader if you will saying “You’re doing great, keep it up and you can get all the way there.” I express my gratitude for this great blessing and testify that it is available to all who truly desire to make these monumental changes in their lives.