The Atonement is not because we are good but because God and Christ are good.
I came upon this quote today by Brad Wilcox, and it really hit home. The Atonement is not because we are good but because God and Christ are good. They love us not because we are always loveable, but because They are always loving. Understanding this helps us feel Their love even when we don’t see any reason to love ourselves. “I’ll never do it again,” we say. Then we do it. “Now I really mean it. I will never do it again.” And then we do it. At such low moments, it is easy to become discouraged and lose hope. We have such a hard time forgiving ourselves that we mistakenly believe God and Christ must be feeling the same way. We think each setback is devastating, but God and Christ simply recognize them as growing pains. Brad Wilcox http://www.ldsliving.com/8-Things-the-Atonement-Is-Not/s/78498