Am I Enough?
Through Jesus Christ, God has provided a way for us to repent of our sins and be worthy to return to His presence.
God did not send you here to fail. He loves you, and He wants you to succeed.
When God sent us to earth to be tested, He knew each of us would sometimes make wrong choices and that our mistakes would make us unworthy to live in His presence again after we die. So He sent us a Savior, Jesus Christ, to suffer and die for our sins in an act we call the Atonement.
Jesus has paid the price for every sin. You might feel like your mistakes are too serious or that you’ve made the same mistake too many times. Some sins are easier to correct than others, but through Jesus Christ, you can repent and be forgiven.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, a modern-day Apostle, taught: “However late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don’t have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines” (Jeffery R. Holland, “The Laborers in the Vineyard,” Ensign, May 2012).
Starting today, we can restart, repent, and reevaluate everything in life because of the sacrifice and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
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What is repentance?
Repentance is much more than just saying you’re sorry. It’s a change of heart that includes turning away from sin and turning to God for help and forgiveness. In the Bible, Isaiah taught the power of repentance to fully erase our sins:
“Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18).
Repentance is a personal experience with Jesus. Some sins may take longer to repent of than others. While the process of repenting shouldn’t be viewed as a checklist, these principles can help you if you’re not sure where to start:
- Have faith that repentance is possible through Jesus Christ.
- Recognize you have sinned.
- Feel genuine sorrow and remorse for your sins.
- Abandon the sin.
- Confess your sins to God through prayer.
- Make appropriate restitution.
- Continue making sincere efforts to be better.
Blessings of repentance
Sin is a heavy burden that fills us with regret and sorrow. Repentance removes those feelings and replaces them with joy. Alma, a prophet in the Book of Mormon, described his happiness after repenting: “There can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy” (Alma 36:21). When we fully repent, we are forgiven and healed. We feel peace, joy, freedom, and confidence.
God will be patient with you as you work to overcome bad habits and addictions and make real changes in your life. This change is possible through Jesus Christ and His sacrifice. No matter how long it takes, it’s worth it.