One of my biggest questions has always been 'How do I know when I have been forgiven?'. I found some amazing answers that really struck home.
"Once we have truly repented, Christ will take away the burden of guilt for our sins. We can know for ourselves that we have been forgiven and made clean. The Holy Ghost will verify this to us; He is the Sanctifier. No other testimony of forgiveness can be greater." - President Uchtdorf
Another huge 'ah-ha' moment for me was reading this pre-requisite for forgiveness..."For our own good, we need the moral courage to forgive and to ask for forgiveness. Never is the soul nobler and more courageous than when we forgive. This includes forgiving ourselves." - President Uchtdorf...Two things really struck me hard when reading this statement. 1) Yes I have always known that I need to forgive others to be forgiven, but when I read this, I though 'why would the Lord be so willing to forgive me of my sins if I was not able to show the same compassion to everyone and anyone who has ever hurt me?' and 2) I need/must forgive myself of my sins, shortcomings, and weaknesses. I've said this before, but one of my greatest weaknesses is beating myself up about my sins and shortcomings. I must learn to forgive myself.
One last message of hope that brought me so much comfort is the answer to the question: Is there a point of no return?
The lie: "Satan, “the father of all lies” (2 Nephi 2:18), “the father of contention” (3 Nephi 11:29), “the author of all sin” (Helaman 6:30), and the “enemy unto God” (Moroni 7:12), uses the forces of evil to convince us that this concept applies whenever we have sinned. The scriptures call him the “accuser” because he wants us to feel that we are beyond forgiveness (see Revelation 2:10). Satan wants us to think that when we have sinned we have gone past a “point of no return”—that it is too late to change our course." - President Uchtdorf
The truth: "The Atonement of Jesus Christ is the gift of God to His children to correct and overcome the consequences of sin. God loves all of His children, and He will never cease to love and to hope for us. The plan of our Heavenly Father is clear, and His promises are great: “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world … might be saved” (John 3:17).
Christ came to save us. If we have taken a wrong course, the Atonement of Jesus Christ can give us the assurance that sin is not a point of no return. A safe return is possible if we will follow God’s plan for our salvation." - President Uchtdorf
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