When we live in fear, change becomes very hard if not impossible. Christ's atonement makes the ability to change possible. Fear is the opposite of faith.
Fear is a little like a cold virus, always around us but usually does not take over unless we let down. When I feel that scratchy throat feeling before the real sore throat takes over I know that a little cayenne pepper judiciously placed will prevent the cold and sore throat. Sometimes I am so engaged in what I am doing I don't pay attention to the things that are important and the cold takes over. When I was in college I was so worried about studies and friends that I failed to take care of myself and ended up in the hospital with pneumonia. I then learned to take symptoms seriously —pneumonia can be life-threatening, you know.
Fear is out there all around us like a virus. There are times we feel discouraged and doubtful and afraid to take the initiative in introducing gospel topics into conversations with neighbors and friends. Those are also symptoms that needs attention. Such fear can also be life threatening.
Why do we fear? Often we fear the reaction of our friend. Often we feel we are too lacking in knowledge to defend our beliefs. Often we aren't sure enough what our beliefs truly are. But, when we are fearful we are usually hopeless. Without hope we become paralyzed. That fear is the failure of faith.
The power of faith can overcome and even eliminate fear. Moroni taught us in Ether 12:6, I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.
The children of Israel following Joshua did not have a parting of the River Jordan until after they stepped into the waters. Then the water parted.
It's been quite awhile now, but we used to go rock climbing together and we joined a mountain-climbing club. Since I had never gone climbing before I enrolled in a class. The first time I was expected to rappel off a cliff I was very afraid. Why would I step backward off a cliff?
Thus we see that faith is a choice. Faith is a choice to believe and then act upon that belief.
There is a song the children sing, I'm Trying To Be Like Jesus. They sing it with all the faith of children who have been told something is true. They have a perfect faith that what their parents tell them must be so.
We often have the idea we are doing fairly well in life but often that is a delusion. After all we can do – which we find out is not near as much as we would have liked – Christ's gift of the atonement is our route to wholeness. We remain less that we could be until we learn fully how to accept this gift and use it in our lives.
Our need for the atonement isn't based alone on our sins. It isn't that we made a mistake yesterday and need to repent of it. We make plenty of mistakes – it is part of being human. Our need for atonement includes specific acts and thoughts but is so much more than that. Our need is so much greater.
The atonement can transform us altogether so that the very tendency toward our mistakes is no longer a part of our being. We say an angry word, we repent, we are forgiven, but we have shown that anger still has a place in us. It is the very tendency toward anger or resentment or despair or selfishness that resides in us that the Lord's atonement will cleanse if we open ourselves to his gift.
It isn't our obvious weakness; it is that we are still weak.
We are still tempted to go it alone. Sometimes we think we are so unworthy we can't come to the Lord now or conversely that we are doing well on our own and we'll think about it when we need help. The truth is we all need help and we all need it now or else we will be forever incomplete and full of limitations.
The atonement not only cleanses us but it empowers us. His ways are not our ways, nor his thoughts our thoughts, but through the gift of the atonement, we can become at one with him until we have been completely changed and our thoughts and our hearts are like his.
We are not yet today what we will be tomorrow. Our journey will always be made not on our strength but on his. Choosing fear – like choosing faith – is a choice. President Hinckley said these words of wisdom many times.
It isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don't worry. I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out. . . Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. He will not forsake us. . . If we will put our trust in Him, if we will pray to Him, if we will live worthy of His blessings, He will hear our prayers.
The first three lines of that statement were part of his comments at the funeral of his beloved wife. I think if President Hinckley needed that reminder, we can also take comfort in our needing reminders. Moroni also needed help with his fears. In Ether 12 he described the fear that he wasn't up to the task. And he was right, he wasn't. And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weaknesses that they may be humble. And my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.
President Benson said, Men and women who turn their lives over to God will find out that he can make a lot more our of their lives than they can.
The process of sanctification is to become more and more like God. Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught that true worship is emulation. We can become like him with his help.
When we find ourselves fearful – when that cold virus is taking over – we should consider it a symptom of our need to return to the Lord so He can strengthen our faith. In faith, we are free of fear. In faith we take that first step into the River Jordan, we take that backward step off the cliff, we turn our thoughts outside our self and learn the needs of our neighbors so that we might help them come to Christ. And in so doing, we can come unto Christ.
