The atonement of Jesus Christ is a topic that can seem complicated and hard to understand. There are a lot of profound meanings we will learn if we immerse ourselves in studying the atonement, but it is also very simple. President Russell M. Nelson put it perfectly when he said, “Our Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ, came to pay a debt He didn’t owe because we owed a debt we couldn’t pay.”
The power of the atonement is something we experience very privately and individually. It can help us every day if we turn to our Savior. Here are 3 ways Christ’s atonement helps us to endure this life.
Delivers
As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we know that there are two types of death: physical and spiritual. Without Christ’s atonement and resurrection, we would not be able to overcome either. How does Christ deliver us from these two types of death? Every person who has and will ever live will overcome physical death, no matter how he or she lived their life. We will all be resurrected. President Nelson said, “An infinite atonement was required to redeem Adam, Eve, and all of their posterity. … According to eternal law, that atonement required a personal sacrifice by an immortal being not subject to death. Yet He must die and take up His own body again. The Savior was the only one who could accomplish this. From His mother He inherited power to die. From His Father He obtained power over death.”
To overcome spiritual death, Christ asks us to have faith, soften our hearts, and turn to Him. President Nelson said, “Even the Savior cannot save us in our sins. He will redeem us from our sins, but only upon condition of our repentance. We are responsible for our own spiritual survival or death.” We need to work on this every day. We need to choose Him every day.
Strengthens
One way we can come closer to Christ is by recognizing our weaknesses. It’s easy to feel defeated and to ignore our shortcomings. The Lord asks us to turn to Him, humble ourselves, and He will turn our weaknesses into strengths. Of course we can’t stop there. We need to put in effort with determination that we can do anything through Jesus Christ.
I have had several experiences in Christ strengthening me. One example is writing. I have always had a passion to write. I started at an early age. Somewhere along the road, I let others tell me (and let myself believe) that I was unintelligent, and therefore, not equipped to write anything of value. Even though I stopped writing for several years, the passion still burned inside me. I started praying for strength, not only to write, but to have the confidence to share it with others. I have come a long way and am still relying on His strength, and I feel it every day.
Comforts
Trials are a part of life, and everybody has them. The good news is that we can find comfort in our trials through our Savior. One of my favorite things to do is turn to the scriptures. I have found comforting words that apply to anything I may be going through. General conference talks are another great resource and you can often find stories that will resonate with you and your experience.
Gordon B. Hinckley said, “forget yourself and go to work.” This has helped me numerous times in helping me see the needs of others and gaining love as I serve them. One important side to that is to let others serve you! There’s no point in giving if there’s no one to receive. We can also feel comfort from priesthood blessings and personal prayer. Don’t forget that Jesus Christ knows how you feel. The atonement isn’t only for sin, but for your pain and sorrows.
Jesus Christ delivers us through sin and death, strengthens us in our weaknesses, and comforts us in our trials. We can all have hope and joy through the Savior who said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
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