“None of us should be defined only by the worst thing we have ever done.” – Kevin R. Duncan

Other than not fully understanding Christ’s atoning power in our lives, this becomes a problem because we view ourselves as an imposter of some kind. ⁣

“If only they knew…”⁣

“I’m different than everyone else…”

Which leads us to separate ourselves even more from our family, friends, and ward members!

And to separate ourselves from Jesus Christ.

And then why do we sometimes do this to others?⁣

We happen to know of a big sin they committed, and we silently judge them as we see their social media pictures, because they were “that one kid in high school who…”⁣

We know of a difficult life circumstance they had to endure, and we thoughtlessly label them as “that girl who had to return early from her mission…” or “the divorced guy…”

I like to think of Paul. ⁣

Did anyone else just get EXHAUSTED reading about all his traveling and preaching?!

This missionary was on fire!⁣

And then, he gives a beautiful farewell speech to his brethren in Acts 20:18-35.

(I highly recommend you reread that speech again.)⁣

He talks about serving the Lord boldly. ⁣

He talks about never coveting what other men have. ⁣

He talks about being led by the Holy Ghost to preach of Christ. ⁣

And then his brethren weep, fall on him, and kiss him because they do not want him to go away. ⁣

And Paul emotionally closes:

“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” (Acts 20:24)

Does this sound like Paul is thinking about his not-so-shiny days as the Pharisee, stoning Christians to death?

Does this sound like his friends still remember the terrible things Paul did to them and possibly loved ones?⁣

Nope. ⁣

Christ’s atoning power is real.

We don’t need to keep thinking we aren’t as good as anyone else.

We don’t need to keep thinking we have other people “figured out”.

Because of Jesus, everyone gets to change if they want to.

Our eternal potential is unlimited!

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Paul didn’t let his past define him first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I recently heard a beautiful, heartfelt testimony of someone who talked about walking away from his life as an alcoholic to make covenants with God.

I’ve listened to a woman share about how physically difficult but mentally easy it was to give up smoking in order to join the church and be baptized.

But… what about the quieter, less obvious sins we each still struggle with?

“What does it mean to overcome the world? … It means being willing to “give away” even our favorite sins.” -President Russell M. Nelson

I’ve been fascinated by that phrase that President Nelson used:

Favorite sins.

Maybe it’s something you know you shouldn’t do, but do anyway.

Maybe it’s a sin you don’t really realize you are doing because it looks so acceptable, but when you reflect on what you need to change, it always comes to mind.

Maybe it’s something you should be doing to draw closer to the Lord and to keep your covenants, but you think it’s easier to not do it.

Maybe it’s taking serious things too casually.

Because Jesus teaches that becoming a member of the covenant kingdom of God is going to require us to give up certain things.

One parable:

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.” (Matthew 13:44)

And another parable:

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” (Matthew 13:45-46)

Selling all that we have.

Sacrificing to obtain covenant relationships with God.

But these people willingly do it. They wholeheartedly give up what was holding them back.

Those are the people who understand what’s at stake and what is available to us.

So what do you need to give up?

What can you sell in order to make room in your life for all that God’s kingdom holds?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Favorite sins first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

D&C 82:7 says:

“Unto that soul who sinneth shall the former sins return, saith the Lord your God.”

Whew.

That honestly does not sound very hopeful.

So if I repent for losing my patience with my kids, and then I lose my patience again, it’s like I never repented in the first place?!

AND I’ve added back in all the previous times I tried to repent for losing my patience, too?

This has never really seemed to fit in with everything else I’ve learned about Jesus Christ.

So, I want to share my personal perspective on this scripture.

President Nelson has really emphasized lately that repentance means change. To turn away from sin.

So when I raise my voice and lose my patience, I often feel sorry afterwards.

I may feel remorse, and I often feel the Spirit prompting me to want to repent.

But… if I’m not changing, then I’m not truly truly truly repenting.

I’m just feeling remorse, but I’m not changing.

So it’s not so much a vengeful God saying “Ha, you messed up again so now you have all the weight from all the times you’ve committed this sin!”

And instead more of: “Hey, you may have thought that you had really repented and changed. But you’ve still got some work to do before that one can be wiped clean.”

Does that make sense?

Now, before THAT sounds too depressing, I also think that it’s good to recognize that there are different variations or even degrees of sins.

So if I’m losing my patience in a very explosive way but I repent of that, and then the next time, I start say a few rude things before I stop myself, then I believe I am in that repentance process!

I’m improving.

In small ways, with small steps, but I’m improving and not committing the same intensity of the sin each time.

But the sweetest reminder of all is that no matter what’s going on: whether I keep going back to the same sin even though I think I’ve “repented”, or whether I’m actually improving in little baby steps…

As long as I want the opportunity to change, the Savior will give me as many chances as I need.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Have I TRULY repented? first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

It seems like an exaggeration– that if I repent, then my Father in Heaven suddenly doesn’t remember what I did anymore.

But what if He really does forget my sin because I am no longer the person who sinned?

When I am truly and fully repenting, with my whole heart and soul, then I am actually changing.

My heart is changing.

My will is changing.

I am a new person. There has been a shift in who I am and what I want.

And so my perfect Divine Father isn’t going to hold something over my head that I no longer am.

It just wouldn’t make sense.

That weight is no longer a part of me.

That is the true beauty in repentance.

When I sincerely and humbly decide that I am ready to become a more spiritually mature individual, then I can.

Because my Savior already paid the price of justice.

He knows what the sin feels like, with the full force of consequences and pain and regret.

(Which is why I’ll praise Him forever.)

And through His suffering, I am freed to change. To use His power to mold and mend who I am.

So that judging me based off of my past seems completely irrelevant.

Remembering it and letting it hold a weighty place in my mind seems immature and myopic.

There is just no point.

I am no longer that person.

I am someone who is more Christlike. Someone with a softer heart and a more contrite spirit.

I repent and change, and I am forgiven.

I am new.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Real repentance first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.