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Spiritual Pain Is Caused By Sin And Repentance Heals The PainPresident Henry B. Eyring "Satan seems sometimes to inject something to deaden the spiritual pain while inflicting the wound. Unless something happens soon to begin repentance, the wound can worsen and widen." The phrase "deaden the spiritual pain," jumped out at me. It is a profound concept to ponder. Pain is an important consequence of sin. Not all punishments from sin or blessings from obedience come immediately. Life would be much easier if that were the case. Count yourself lucky if you feel the full weight of your sin the second you commit it, verses waiting until someone exposes your sin or the light of truth exposes it. Satan knows that sin is the main thing that keeps you away from God and happiness. Fortunately, Satan does not have the power to imitate the Holy Ghost or the Spirit; even though he is the master deceiver and liar. He will cause you to justify that the sin you committed is not so bad. He wants you to feel ok about sinning. If you feel ok about it you won't change and repent. Wickedness never was, currently is not and never will bring happiness. Satan tries his best to make sin to be fun and feel good; knowing full well in advance that it will cause wounds. The more serious the sin the more significant and deeper the wound will be. Satan tries to deaden the spiritual pain because it will cause you to become complacent. Desensitization comes to mind. If Satan can't get you to sin outright he will try and desensitize you so you grow to passively accept evil. There is a famous saying that says the only thing for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing. The prophets teach us not to watch R rated movies, and the principle of desensitization may be a big reason for that. You may not become a violent person based on an R rated movie, but your spirit will become desensitized. The more desensitized you become the less importance you place on repentance and the longer it takes you to repent. The perfect condition is when your sins sorely trouble and afflict you to the point you repent. President Eyring also said that while Satan deadens the spiritual pain he inflicts the wound at the same time. Satan desires to make you as miserable as he is and he is the most wretched, miserable, unhappy, dejected creature in existence. It may seem contradictory to say that Satan deadens the spiritual pain while at the same time widening the wound. Satan knows he can't alter the consequences of sin. I don't think he wants to change the consequences of sin because he wants you to be miserable and he knows full well that sin causes unhappiness. The Book of Mormon scripture of Alma counseling his son comes to mind. "And now, my son, I desire that ye should let these things trouble you no more, and only let your sins trouble you, with that trouble which shall bring you down unto repentance." Alma 42: 29 I think Alma in this verse is telling his son to not be caught up in the thick of thin things. What kinds of things do you worry about? The best things to worry about are your sins. Distraction could be another way Satan deadens the spiritual pain. President Eyring also says delaying repentance will cause the wound to worsen and widen. Repenting today is always easier and better than waiting. |