Gospel Topic Tuesday: He Will Never Leave Us

I really want to write about the atonement but I still don’t feel I can give it justice yet. The atonement is something I hold very dear to my heart and I have learned more about it over the past week. I want to make sure I get my thoughts and feelings well documented so I will wait. While doing some research though, I found an interesting article with a point that stems from the atonement and gave me great comfort while facing trials this last week.

While the Savior was in the garden of Gethsemane he asked 3 of his disciples (Peter, James and John) to stay and pray with him. They fell asleep and Jesus came and found them multiple times asleep. It was a little thing that he asked of them and yet they could not do it. They left him in his greatest time of need which was prophesied of. Even Heavenly Father had to leave Jesus and withdraw his spirit at one point. “…the Father briefly withdrew from Jesus the comfort of His Spirit, the support of His personal presence. It was required, indeed it was central to the significance of the Atonement, that this perfect Son who had never spoken ill nor done wrong nor touched an unclean thing had to know how the rest of humankind—us, all of us—would feel when we did commit such sins. For His Atonement to be infinite and eternal, He had to feel what it was like to die not only physically but spiritually, to sense what it was like to have the divine Spirit withdraw, leaving one feeling totally, abjectly, hopelessly alone.” Jeffrey R. Holland, “None Were with Him”

Jesus had to experience everything that we would experience. If he did not experience he would not be able to help us in our times of need. Have you ever felt pain? Sorrow? Loneliness? Hurt? So has Jesus Christ. He suffered everything so that we might not have to but we have to turn to him and trust in him that he can help us. When we are in the midst of trials and feeling the heavy burden of the pain or loneliness we need to remember that we can turn to our Savior and find comfort. He has promised us that he will never leave us.

Sometimes it is easy to forget that he is there and will help us through it. We need to do our best to remember to turn to him for help, comfort, guidance and peace. While receiving priesthood blessings before giving birth to my son Benjamin one of the key things called out was to remember to turn to the Lord. I knew that everything would be okay as long as I remembered to turn to the Lord and rely on him. There were moments that I felt I should be scared or worried but I turned to the Lord and knew that everything would be okay. When I could no longer endure anymore I turned to the Lord for help and knew that with him I could make it through.

I am very grateful for the knowledge I have that I know I can always turn to my Savior, Jesus Christ, no matter what is happening in my life and find comfort and peace. I know that he understands all that I feel and that I do not have to experience it alone.