New Goals. Change of Habits. Trying Harder.

So many times we feel a strong sense of what we think is right. We are stubborn. We are strong willed. We won't budge from our way because it is our way or the highway. So many times I struggle with this. Sometimes on a daily basis with my kids. Either they or I or both want to fight this battle. Why do we even want to fight this battle?! It only brings bickering, negative feelings and drives the Spirit away.

With the New Year comes new goals, change of habits, and trying harder in what you already know works for you. I like this part of the year because it has a way of softening hearts enough to want to make any changes. And not just any changes. Changes for the good, for the better. Sister Neill F. Marriott said in her October 2015 General Conference talk Yielding Our Hearts to God, "...personal reformation begins with a change of heart." What does this change of heart do for us? She further says,

The result of sacrificing our heart, or our will, to the Lord is that we receive the spiritual guidance we need.

If we earnestly appeal to God, He takes us as we are--and makes us more than we ever imagined.  

What I took from this is that it doesn't matter where we are in life, what experiences we've had, or how close or far away we may feel to God. What matters is that we change, here and now. Change a little bit every day. Even if it is a smidgen better than yesterday. The tender mercy from our loving Heavenly Father is that He works with who we are and builds from there. It doesn't matter how low in life we feel we've come. It doesn't matter how many times we feel we've messed up. For Him, it is never too late, we are never too far gone, we are always salvageable.

As a mom, I feel almost daily guilt by bed time. Some days I'm counting down the minutes until then. On those days, it is hard to feel worthy of His love. But I know that I can work at being better the next day. Some days I do go to bed giving myself a High 5 for not screaming at my kids but actually using the softer tones to prod them in the direction they need to be going. The point is that even when we have our bad days mixed in with our good days, we can always try again harder the next day. The love Jesus Christ has for us is unconditional and He will work within us if we let Him.

I love looking at this picture and the analogy it gives. Jesus is always knocking at our door. A door that does not have a knob for him to open. The only way to let Him into our lives is by us opening the door ourselves and letting Him in. We have to want that. He will only come into our lives if we let Him. I love the promise that we are given when we do let Him in. Sister Marriott ends her talk by stating this promise. 

When we offer our broken heart to Jesus Christ, He accepts our offering. He takes us back. No matter what losses, wounds, and rejection we have suffered, His grace and healing are mightier than all. Truly yoked to the Savior, we can say with confidence, “It will all work out.”