Repentance is a process

Repentance is the second principle of the gospel and the second step in the Fourth Article of Faith for Mormons or members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When we sin or commit an act which separates us from God, we must repent. From our early years in Primary--the children's classes at church--we learn that repentance is a process with several steps. 1) Recognize what you've done wrong, 2) Confess. We must pray and confess our sins to God. Confession can also be telling the person you've wronged or speaking with the bishop about serious sins. 3) Make restitution. You must fix what you've wronged. If you stole something, you must return the item or pay for it. Many times you cannot fix exactly the mistake you've made. You must be prayerful and be guided by the Spirit to know how to make restitution for your sins. 4) Forsake. Do the sin no more.

There are many reasons to repent. You feel guilt or godly sorrow and don't want to feel bad anymore. You want to be baptized and repentance is the step before baptism. Or you don't want to cause Jesus Christ any more suffering. I love this scripture where Jesus explains His atonement:  "For behold, I, God have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent. But if they would repent they must suffer even as I; Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit---and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink---Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparation unto the children of men" (Doctrine and Covenants 19:16-19). I think the most important reason to repent is because you want to follow Christ and feel the influence of the Spirit directing your life. As we repent we are at peace and are teachable. Our desires are aligned with the Savior. Our goal is the same as His, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man (Moses 1:39).

Repentance is a process. I've struggled with the last step in that process: doing the sin no more. Most of my sins are weaknesses or habits like losing my patience or being negative. Without confessing all my sins here, I have experienced the sweet joy of sincere repentance, the relief of confessing and forsaking and aligning my will with the Savior. But in the process of continued daily repentance and refinement, I have a lot of room for growth. I used to think that when we repent, we remember our sins no more. That is not true. I remember my sin, not with the deep pain and regret, but I remember. I think we remember so we won't do it again. It's Christ that remembers our sins no more. "Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I the Lord, remember them no more" (Doctrine and Covenants 58:42).

Repentance is change and growth. As we desire to become like Christ, we will want to forsake our sins. As we repent daily, we will become more like the Savior. We will be guided by the Spirit to make changes in our life, to be more patient, to speak kindly, to have our hearts changed and we will find joy in repentance.