The Enabling Power of the Atonement

Yesterday in Relief Society we had a wonderful lesson that really touched me and has been on my mind since.  

As part of the lesson we were given this quote by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (BYU Address October 2001):

  “I suspect that [we] are much more familiar with the nature of the redeeming power of the Atonement than we are with the enabling power of the Atonement.”¹ He suggested that most of us understand that Christ came to earth to die for us, to pay the price for our sins, to make us clean, to redeem us from our fallen state, and to enable every person to be resurrected from the dead.

But, Elder Bednar said, “I frankly do not think many of us ‘get it’ concerning [the] enabling and strengthening aspect of the Atonement, and I wonder if we mistakenly believe we must make the journey from good to better and become a saint all by ourselves through sheer grit, willpower, and discipline, and with our obviously limited capacities.”

The belief that through our own “sheer grit, willpower, and discipline” we can manage just about anything seems to be widespread these days. This simply is not true. Heavenly Father and the Savior can inspire, comfort, and strengthen us in our time of need, if we remember to cast our burdens at Their feet."

I love the thought that we, through Christ, are able to do things that we could never do alone.  So many times I think that I can't do something because I'm not good enough or that I can't break a bad habit because I don't have enough willpower.  But I need to be reminded (frequently it seems) that I DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING ALONE!  

Carolyn J. Rasmus gave a talk at BYU Women's Conference in 2006 in which she said:

When we understand the enabling power of the Atonement, we will be changed; we will have access to strength beyond our natural abilities, our weakness can be turned to strength, and we can know that “in the strength of the Lord” we can “do all things” (Alma 20:4).

Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have the power and the desire to help us overcome our feelings of grief, despair, inadequacy, discouragement, pain, and temptation. They constantly offer us comfort, peace, hope, love, and strength. They can heal our feelings of fear, distrust, anger, self-doubt, sorrow, discouragement, and inadequacy. They can be the best resource we have to help us get through difficult days and trying times. If we but come unto Christ, He will lead us to the Father and a fulness of joy in Their presence.

There are several things that I am struggling with right now, including but not limited to, wanting to eat better and to exercise so that I can feel better overall.  Every time I get ready to make a commitment I end up talking myself out of it because 1) it doesn't seem pleasurable (i.e. I LIKE sweets better than vegetables and I want to be a couch potato)  2) I'm too lazy to make the effort needed  3) and because my will power is pretty much nonexistent.  I had forgotten that I can (and should) include the Lord in the commitment process.  He has the ability and desire to help me change into a more healthy person.  I just need to have the faith to ask for His help and also the faith to know that He will assist me because it will be a good thing for me to be more healthy.  According to the above statements I believe that not only can Christ assist me in making the changes, He can change me so that I no longer desire the unhealthy life style.

At this very minute I do not think that I have enough faith, but I am going to start working toward that goal by prayerfully studying my scriptures and also good talks.  

"I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up." (D&C 84:88)