I don’t write about my faith on this blog very often. But I want to share it more. Because the truth is that everything that I am and everything that I ever hope to be is all because of my Heavenly Father and my Savior, Jesus Christ. I’ve been thinking about the Savior’s Atonement lately – and with it being Easter Sunday today, I felt it was an appropriate time to share some of my thoughts.

Why we need Jesus

I grew up a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My family has been a part of the Church for generations. And I’ve always felt like I had a pretty good understanding of the Gospel. As a teenager I always felt that I understood the commandments and knew the difference between right and wrong. I was taught the Gospel in my home and I gained a testimony of the Church and of my Savior.

But the older I get, the harder I’ve found life in general. I sometimes find it hard to live up to my potential; to be the kind of person that I know I can be. Life stresses, and parenting, and depression and anxiety have made for some bad habits. Sure, I’m not out doing drugs. I’m not committing grand theft auto. I haven’t murdered anyone. But my words have not always been kind. I’ve lost my temper countless times. I’ve told “little white lies” when it was more convenient than telling the truth. And sometimes I’ve struggled with doing the consistent, daily things that keep me close to Heavenly Father.

And I’ve spent a lot of time beating myself up over my mistakes. I’ve felt unworthy to utter the name of Jesus Christ and I’ve felt unworthy to pray to my Heavenly Father for forgiveness. Because often, I fall to the same weaknesses again and again and again. And I have put myself into funks where I believe that “this is just how I am now” – I’m someone who screams at her kids; I’m an angry person; I’m someone who doesn’t love motherhood. But through life-coaching and therapy and the grace of my loving Heavenly Father, I have always been able to pull myself out of these funks. I’m learning not reduce myself to something less than what I am.

I am a beloved daughter of Heavenly Father. He loves me more than I can comprehend. And nothing I can ever do or think will change that.

And I will make mistakes. Those are unavoidable. At the end of the day, after I’ve tried my very best, I STILL can’t make it back to my Heavenly Father without the help of Jesus Christ and His Atonement. And that is why we have a Savior.

Guys. I’m 31 years old. I’ve been taught about Jesus MY WHOLE LIFE. And I am JUST NOW figuring out this important truth:

The whole reason we have a Savior – the whole reason that Jesus Christ suffered and died for our sins – is because God KNEW that we were going to sin. He didn’t send His Son as a precaution or “just in case” we made a mistake. He sent Him BECAUSE HE KNEW WE ABSOLUTELY WERE GOING TO MESS UP.

Why it took me so long to learn and accept this principle, I don’t know. But once I realized this and accepted this truth, my whole perspective changed. Yes, I still make mistakes – every single day I make mistakes. And I know I will continue to make mistakes throughout my life. But when I reach out in prayer, I know that I’m being encouraged and lifted by my Heavenly Father and His Son. They aren’t watching me with disdain, wondering why I’m always falling to the same weaknesses.

We need Jesus.

I don’t think I could put into words HOW MUCH we need Jesus. We ALL need Him. Whether we believe we do or not – whether we are actively seeking Him or passively living our lives – WE NEED JESUS. Were it not for His Atonement, we would all be damned. Nothing we ever did would have gotten us back to the presence of our Heavenly Father. But because of Jesus Christ – because He and our Heavenly Father love us SO MUCH – there is hope. There is a way back. God wants all of His children to come home and He lovingly provided His Beloved Son as a sacrifice to make that possible.

Because of my Savior Jesus Christ, I have hope in incredible things to come. I know I’m loved no matter what I do. Because of Jesus I don’t have to fear the world. I don’t have to fear death. And I don’t have to fear my own mistakes and sins. Because of Jesus Christ, we are all given a chance to make things right. And after that chance, we are given a second, and a third, and fourth, and infinite chances.

Jesus Christ is the ultimate Healer. He is Compassion. He is our Advocate. He is our Deliverer. Jesus was He who was prophesied of and whom the righteous waited anxiously for. And it was Him who was despised and persecuted and killed – and who suffered and died for those who despised Him, persecuted Him, and killed Him. And after three days in the tomb, He rose triumphantly from the grave. Because He overcame death, it holds no permanence for us and we too will overcome death.

We need Jesus.

And after all He has done – and after all He is for us – why wouldn’t we want Him?

Happy Easter.

’til next time…

Ash