Faith

in Christ: Practical Application of His Atonement

On those days when we have special need of heavens help, we would do well to remember one of the
titles given to the Savior in the epistle to the Hebrews. Speaking of Jesus more excellent ministry and
why He is the mediator of a better covenant filled with better promises, this authorpresumably the
Apostle Paultells us that through His mediation and Atonement, Christ became an high priest of good
things to come. Elder Holland ("An High Priest of Good Things to Come") [Hebrews 9: 11-12]

Chieko Okazaki (from her book Disciples):
How can we give the answer of faith when adversity seems likely to overwhelm us? Let me share five
ways that have helped me.
First, as Ive already said, we need to acknowledge the emotional reality of what is happening to us. Its
all right to grieve. Its all right to experience suffering. [Matthew 5:4]
But, second, we also need to use our minds. Even if we dont believe it, we need to tell ourselves: I
dont know how it will happen, but I know that time will help me deal with this. We need to set limits
and goals for ourselves. I read in a magazine article that one woman, experiencing a shattering divorce,
would allow herself to cry when she needed to, but shed set the timer for ten minutes because she
needed to feel that she was stronger than her grief. For her, that was a way of saying that she had a
right to grieve but also that she was strong enough to make decisions, not just let the suffering she was
undergoing make all decisions for her. [Matt:11-28-30] [Moroni 7:40-43]
Third, we need to understand the plan of salvation. It may not seem very comforting at times of pain
and loss to think about the plan of salvation. It may seem too intellectual, too remote, and too
theoretical to be very comforting. But each of us makes sense of our experience in a context. It is wise
and truly comforting to see that context as a purposeful and loving plan and especially as something
that we chose.
Francine Bennion, a wise student of the scriptures and of life, explained her perspective in a BYU/Relief
Society womens conference. She said [speaking of the pre-mortal decisions]:
We dont know if there were several possibilities of which we have no record, but I doubt there
was a never-never land where we could have been happy children without responsibility forever.
Apparently there was a point at which we had to grow up or choose not to. Our scriptures
suggest that there were unavoidable decisions to be made consciously and responsibly by all
inhabitants in the premortal council, as in Eden. We could not be mere observers, only thinking
about the decision, only imagining what might happen if we made it, only talking about the
meaning of it all
We wanted life, however high the cost. We suffer because we were willing to pay the cost
of being and of being here with others in their ignorance and inexperience as well as our own.
We suffer because we are willing to pay the costs of living with laws of nature, which operate
quite consistently whether or not we understand them or can manage them. We suffer because,
like Christ in the desert, we apparently did not say we would come only if God would change our

stones to bread in time of hunger. We were willing to know hunger. Like Christ in the desert, we
did not ask God to let us try falling or being bruised only on condition that He catch us before we
touch ground to save us from real hurt. We were willing to know hurt. Like Christ, we did not
agree to come only if God would make everyone bow to us and respect us, or admire us and
understand us. Like Christ, we came to be ourselves, addressing and creating reality. We are
finding out who we are and who we can become regardless of the environment or circumstances


Suffering is part of the plan. We chose it. We wanted to know it. We understood, in the premortal
world, a lesson so powerful that Eve could remember and articulate it even in the moment of terror and
shame and uncertainty after she and Adam had partaken of the forbidden fruit. She knew that it was
better to pass through sorrow than to remain ignorant of either joy or sorrow. [John 17: 3]

Fourth, we can work toward acceptance. I do think we should struggle for understanding just as hard as
we can. Its not showing a lack of faith to say, I dont understand this. Tell me how. Explain why. But at
the same time, we also need to remind ourselves sometimes right out loud that, as the Lord
explained to Isaiah: My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways For as the
heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your
thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).

We need to accept and be patient with our lack of understanding. Its a superb and glowing faith to say,
I dont understand this and I dont like it very much, but I accept it. Show me how to live with it, how to
deal with it. The limitations of mortality are so real and so personal that Im sure one of the things
were going to do in the next life is laugh and laugh.
Youve undoubtedly heard the saying, Let go and let God. To me it means, Let go of your way of
seeing things. Let go of your way of fixing things. Trust me. Let me do more than fix it. Let me make it
wonderful and new for you. [Mark 9:23-24]
Fifth, we need to actively seek the presence of the Holy Ghost and the spirit of Jesus Christ. We are
promised this blessing in each sacrament prayer every Sabbath day. This spirit is a promised presence in
our lives, not a rare and exotic visitor. It is a comfortable, reassuring companion, not a confusing and
upsetting party-crasher. I know that you know the ways in which we can be worthy of this spirit, and the
ways in which we can prepare ourselves to receive it, but I want to urge you to concentrate also on
welcoming it. Sometimes were so busy serving, going to the temple, reading the scriptures, and
preparing, preparing, preparing, that we forget to welcome the guest. Im talking about simply being
aware that the Spirit is with us, interacting with that Spirit so that prayers become almost conversations,
and recognizing the feelings of that presence. [John 14:16]
I testify to you that the answer of faith is a viable one, even in the most difficult of circumstances,
because it does not depend on us on our strength to endure or on our willpower or on the depth of
our intellectual understanding or on the wealth of resources we can accumulate. No, it depends on God,
whose strength is omnipotence and who has the will to walk beside us in love, sharing our burden, and
whose understanding is that of eternity. Many waters cannot quench his love. (Disciples, pg. 172-175)

See also Richard G. Scotts conference talk Trust in the Lord