The key to improving is repentance. Repentance is acknowledging the natural man in me and asking for help for me to overcome my natural instincts and rise. Repentance is saying things like: “I’m sorry I yelled, please help me be calm and control my emotions”, or “I’m sorry I was rude to them, please help me be kind”, or “I’m sorry I’m impatient Lord, please help me work on that”, or the many other ways to acknowledge my weaknesses and ask the Lord to help me overcome them and improve.
The Lord promised me forgiveness every time I repent. He doesn’t stand over and punish or condemn me but encourages me to do better and helps me see my potential (that sometimes I don’t see.) Repentance gives me a second chance to try again in a better way, with resolve and determination. The Lord suffered and died and did the Atonement for me, and everyone, so that whenever I repent He will help me overcome my weaknesses with His divine power.
I’ve prayed to Him many times for help and somehow every time the thing I struggled with was either easier to bear, or I had a change in perspective, or I could see it in another way, or something occurred to me, or I felt happy. I don’t know how He did it but just know that He did.
The Lord referred to repentance many times in the scriptures. Two things He said are, “Come now, and let us reason together … though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” and “Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.”
The three best things I can do every day are repent, rely on the Lord and seek to improve. I can put aside my pride (which is a weakness) and humbly come to him (which is a strength.) The Lord is loving and kind, and helps me become my best self.
I need Him because He makes my life better than I could ever do on my own. He helps me overcome my weaknesses and become strong. I love Him because He is my forever friend and wants the very best for me.
Who else cares about me that much and has the power to help me? No one. I don’t walk this life alone but face each challenge with my greatest friend, the Lord, Jesus Christ, in my heart and mind. Therefore whenever I struggle, I humble myself and repent (say I’m sorry and ask for forgiveness and help) knowing that He will lovingly help me. The Lord declared, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”