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To Despair Has The Capacity To Personally Destroy You But You Can Overcome It Through Jesus Christ"The adversary uses despair to bind hearts and minds in suffocating darkness. Despair drains from us all that is vibrant and joyful and leaves behind the empty remnants of what life was meant to be. Despair kills ambition, advances sickness, pollutes the soul, and deadens the heart. Despair can seem like a staircase that leads only and forever downward." The Infinite Power of Hope; President Dieter F. Urchtdorf I was studying the Book of Mormon verses below about loosening the bands of death "which bind his people," when the quote about despair from President Urchtdorf came to my mind. The death described in verse 12 certainly means physical death because Christ was resurrected. There are other kinds of death that are much more frightening than physical death. (Alma 7:11 - 13)11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me. Jesus Christ is also a God; He is a member of the Godhead who stands on the right hand of God the Father. God the Father has delegated His power to Christ so much so that salvation is through Jesus Christ and not the Father. Now I feel to pick apart Alma 7: 11-13 Christ Will Go Forth Suffering Pains And Afflictions And Temptations Of Every KindI am amazed that in the Book of Mormon when Christ after His resurrection He visited the Nephite civilization and invited anyone who desired to feel the nails in His hands and His feet. He also healed all who were afflicted in any manner who desired to be healed. He healed EVERYONE who sought Him. This would have included every kind of physical, mental, emotional or psychological pain or disorder. The greatest measure of love this world has ever seen is Heavenly Father sending Jesus Christ to earth specifically to suffer and die. Jesus Christ was perfect in every way, but it was his mission to suffer in ways that are incomprehensible for man to understand. Christ suffered for us, because He was the only way for us to make it and be happy today. And He Will Take Upon Him Death, That He May Loose The Bands of Death Which Bind His People The obvious death in this phrase is physical death. I want you to think more broadly. Consider the following emotional and psychological ailments as death;
Many people because of their emotional pains feel like they are living in suffocating darkness. Some are in so much pain that they become suicidal or wouldn't mind if their life was taken. This kind of hopelessness is bondage. Despair drains you of all that is vibrant. Zero ambition is death. In my mind no growth and no achievement are also other forms of death. We are all children of God and because of that we have an inborn desire to achieve, with some it is greater than others. Some have let failure and despair hold them down, hopefully only temporarily. He Will Take Upon Him Their Infirmities, That His Bowels May Be Filled With MercyOne of the reasons we face trials and tribulations is so we can be compassionate to others who are going through tough times themselves. Christ is the most merciful because He descended below all things. He understands perfectly the human experience perfectly. He knows what you are dealing with because He has already faced it, dealt with it, and overcame it. It is impossible to fully comprehend the atonement. The atonement is much more than the power to conquer sins and weaknesses, but the grace to accomplish and achieve. The key is to seek after Christ because He can always relate. He May Know According To The Flesh How To Succor His People According To Their InfirmitiesThe according to the flesh is a key phrase. Jesus Christ is a living God not a dead God. Yes, He died and atoned but He was also resurrected. His resurrection means everything. I invite you to ponder what His resurrection truly means. It means that His atonement is constantly active. It means He can help you be healed now not later. You just have to learn how to seek after Him. Two major ways to seek after him is to drink deeply from the standard works and from the living prophets. He Might Take Upon Him the Sins of His PeopleIt is impossible for you to be happy in sin. You may see people involved in sinful activities who seem to be having fun. They may be having a good time, but they are not happy. Happiness is impossible in sin. God has no allowance for sin. Your sins are forgiven through Jesus Christ. Your sins keep you distant from the Lord. The filthy and wicked will not know God. Repentance is the most encouraging word that exists. Repentance allows you to erase clean your past mistakes. Repentance gives you the hope and confidence that you can seek after Him and find Him. The more seriously you repent and change the faster you will find Him. The importance of seeking after Jesus Christ is immensely more important in sin. The human tendency is to run away from Him when you sin especially serious sin, but that is the most critical time to seek after Him with greater intensity. The dumbest thing you could do is intentionally run from God when you sin. Christ especially has His arms open when you are in sin because He knows that is when you need Him the most. Christ has a forgiving disposition and He forgives sin when repentance is made. Repentance gives you access to Christ's atonement. He will blot out your sins and transgressions when you repent. According To The Power of His DeliveranceChrist is mighty to save and He is not a dead God, but a living God. He continues to work miracles. In the scriptures, Jesus Christ is also called the father. Christ is the father because he created all things. The scriptures teach that Christ is the life and light of the world, which is further evidence that he is the father. He is the father because he can bring light and joy where before it was only darkness and despair. Christ will breathe life back into your soul when all you felt was complete and utter blackness. There is nothing more powerful than the word God, except God himself. The word of God leads you to Him. Deliverance comes by seeking after God through the word of God.
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