Question
Dear Gramps,
I am currently inactive and want to come back. I have been praying (and reading Alma), but I feel I am not worthy to pray let alone ask God for help in prayer because of the grave sins I have committed whilst away. He must be kind of angry with me. Do you have any suggestions to help me?
Rob
Answer
Dear Rob,
I can assure you that the Lord loves you and wants you to return to Him. It’s not too late. Satan has many cunning strategies in his battle against us and against the Lord, and one of them is to try and keep us from feeling and accepting the love that Heavenly Father and Christ so generously extend to us. It is Satan, not God that tells you not to pray. (2 Nephi 32:8). But the Lord says to you:
“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as whites snow; though they be led like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18
Please understand Rob, that Satan does not want you to pray because he knows that is the path to forgiveness. He’s losing his grip on you and he knows it. President Kimball spoke of this:
“Sometimes a guilt consciousness overpowers a person with such a heaviness that when a repentant one looks back and sees the ugliness, the loathsomeness of the transgression, he is almost overwhelmed and wonders, “Can the Lord ever forgive me? Can I ever forgive myself?” But when one reaches the depths of despondency and feels the hopelessness of his position, and when he cries out to God for mercy in helplessness but in faith, there comes a still, small, but penetrating voice whispering to his soul, “Thy sins are forgiven thee.” God Will Forgive
You see? Forgiveness is available, but it comes through repentance, which includes prayer. Satan doesn’t want you to pray because he doesn’t want you to be forgiven. The Lord’ hand is outstretched to you. He loves you. President Kimball continued:
“The image of a loving, forgiving God comes through clearly to those who read and understand the scriptures. Since he is our Father, he naturally desires to raise us up, not to push us down, to help us live, not to bring about our spiritual death. “For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth,” he has said, “… wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.” (Ezek. 18:32.)
You may be thinking, “But Gramps, you don’t know what I’ve done.” You are right. I don’t, but the Lord does. To you and others like you, He gave this message through President Packer:
“Too frequently we receive letters from those who have made tragic mistakes and are burdened. They beg: “Can I ever be forgiven? Can I ever change?” The answer is yes! . . .The gospel teaches us that relief from torment and guilt can be earned through repentance. Save for those few—those very few—who defect to perdition after having known a fulness, there is no habit, no addiction, no rebellion, no transgression, no offense small or large which is exempt from the promise of complete forgiveness. No matter what has happened in your life, the Lord has prepared a way for you to come back if you will heed the promptings of the Holy Spirit.” The Savior’s Selfless and Sacred Sacrifice
Christ loves us and gave His life so that we can have the opportunity to be forgiven and return to Him and Heavenly Father. Don’t reject this precious gift by listening to the lies of Satan. He’s waiting for you, Rob. Turn to Him.
Gramps
