jacób and el rey benjamín

I have been obsessed lately with a phrase that dawned upon me one day while discussing relationships with Jason: "You need to FEEL the void before you want to FILL it." I had a further conversation with a friend about this subject last night. Here are my thoughts as of this morning.

Elder Eyring talks about King Benjamin in these words:

"He started in his discourse where we must all begin to help people escape spiritual disaster. People have to believe that the danger is real to want to find safety. They have to fear the consequence of ignoring the peril. He made clear the hazards we face because we are free to choose between right and wrong and because we cannot avoid the consequence of those choices. He spoke directly and sharply because he knew what sorrow would come to those who might not hear and heed his warnings." ( http://www.lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,49-1-602-4,00.html )

That is what I meant by FEELING the void before you feel the need to FILL it. There must be a recognized and felt need for Christ's grace before one desires to call upon it. Amazingly, the Spirit reminds us of our need for the Atonement in an enabling way: He helps us feel the hope of possible change at the same moment He reminds us of our inadequacy. Satan puts his own ridiculous twist upon that feeling by reminding us constantly of our inadequacy, but also robbing our lives of hope. The devil makes us feel that change is impossible, and we're stuck in a rut forever with no way out.

Prophets of God follow the pattern of the Spirit, of course: they help us recognize our "awful reality" and "awful guilt" (2 Nephi 9:46-47, the promised Jacob reference) but also point out that Christ provides a very accessible and clear way out, and though the path is narrow and strait, it leads to lasting happiness. It is interesting to read 2 Nephi 9 and listen to the way Jacob contrasts the awful consequences of sin, but then notice how hopefully he points to Christ, and the rad way he does it and rejoices in the Atonement. ( http://scriptures.lds.org/en/2_ne/9/ ) Instruments of the devil, and our own thoughts when influenced by him, focus only on the sin and not the salvation; they repeat our rebellion instead of rejoicing in the hope of redemption.

I so want to rejoice. Get thee hence, sad imitation of the plan.