Do You Think You Will Be Exalted One Day?

[Ahab]

My guess is that, the second we start thinking we're his jewels, we aren't. And the idea that a soul is "good for nothing" contradicts the scriptures, wherein we are told that the worth of a soul is great.

Practically speaking, though, it's clear to me that VideoGameJunkie suffers, like me, with self-esteem issues. Telling someone like that they are worthless is not a good idea.

VideoGameJunkie, I have to constantly remind myself that as humans, we cannot see what God sees in us. Where people like you and me see only failure, sin, and worthlessness, God sees our inherent good and our potential. You are worth something, and you do matter.

I wasn't telling him he is good for nothing, and I don't appreciate your inference that I was.  Just that some of us are called jewels by God, with God also saying some people are good for nothing but to be cast into the fire.   Salt that has lost its flavor.  Tares that are going to be burned.  Surely you've read that in the scriptures.

 

My main point was simply that yes we can grow in favor with both God and man, making some of us more precious to God than some others.  We all can be jewels, though.  It's just that some of us don't want to be, and thus, we are not.

[Ahab]

But it is because of what we will turn ourselves into, not because of what we are now which is full of potential.  It is only when we finally reject that potential, when we choose to be good for nothing that we become good for nothing.

 

And we are jewels to God when we place ourselves in his hands and say "thy will be done" because that allows him to turn the coarsest carbon into diamond.

Right.  I'm glad we're in agreement.

[jkwilliams]

I wasn't telling him he is good for nothing, and I don't appreciate your inference that I was.  Just that some of us are called jewels by God, with God also saying some people are good for nothing but to be cast into the fire.   Salt that has lost its flavor.  Tares that are going to be burned.  Surely you've read that in the scriptures.

 

My main point was simply that yes we can grow in favor with both God and man, making some of us more precious to God than some others.  We all can be jewels, though.  It's just that some of us don't want to be, and thus, we are not.

I'm just saying that this kind of talk can be dangerous when you're dealing with people with severe self-esteem problems. It seemed to me that you were playing into his belief that he has sins that will always weigh him down, etc. I don't think that's a good thing to be saying to someone like him, but you're right: I should not have implied you were telling him he's worthless, and I apologize.

It's taken me a lifetime to get to the point at which I think I'm a halfway decent person, after all. I may not be a jewel, but I don't believe I'm less precious to God than anyone else.

Edited November 15, 2013 by jkwilliams

[Ahab]

I'm just saying that this kind of talk can be dangerous when you're dealing with people with severe self-esteem problems. It seemed to me that you were playing into his belief that he has sins that will always weigh him down, etc. I don't think that's a good thing to be saying to someone like him, but you're right: I should not have implied you were telling him he's worthless, and I apologize.

It's taken me a lifetime to get to the point at which I think I'm a halfway decent person, after all. I may not be a jewel, but I don't believe I'm less precious to God than anyone else.

If it helps you feel better, I don't feel like I'm a jewel, yet, or if I am I am not one of his most precious stones.  There are many other people who are better than me, and he is entitled to have his favorites, whoever they are, regardless of what I am and may be.

[jkwilliams]

If it helps you feel better, I don't feel like I'm a jewel, yet, or if I am I am not one of his most precious stones.  There are many other people who are better than me, and he is entitled to have his favorites, whoever they are, regardless of what I am and may be.

I used to think of myself as somewhere between unsavory salt and dryer lint. These days I'm content to be like the small topaz I found in the desert when I was a boy. It's small, not particularly noteworthy, and not something you'd hold up as a gem. But I like it.

[Ahab]

I used to think of myself as somewhere between unsavory salt and dryer lint. These days I'm content to be like the small topaz I found in the desert when I was a boy. It's small, not particularly noteworthy, and not something you'd hold up as a gem. But I like it.

Topaz, huh.  My birthstone is aquamarine, which I like, but it's only semi-precious and he knew when I would be sent to this planet.

[VideoGameJunkie]

Taking this personal enough to make an observation, but don't intend to take it further as not appropriate for the board.  

 

And I am saying this publicly as we all need to be reminded at times...

 

From the way you phrase things in many of your posts, you seem to have self-esteem issues...doubt about your value, needing to compare it to others rather than just being about the best you yourself can be**** and turning to God to help with the rest.

 

You are a child of God.  Nothing is more wonderful than that.  You have inherent eternal value to God himself, who is devoting his existence to providing you a way to return to him.  You don't need to look to the future with fear.  If you desire to return to him, surel the Father who is allknowing, allpowerful will provide a way that even if we were to assume the worst about you, you can return to him exalted if that is the desire of your heart.

 

If you cannot recognize that truth through prayer and scripture study, you might want to examine other avenues of learning what value you have...even therapy if that is needed.  God wants you to have joy, not go through life doubting your value to yourself or to him.

 

****and by this I mean doing what you are able to do in a situation, not doing what you are capable of doing...some days my best is getting out of bed and not much more.

Thank you for that. You were spot on about my self esteem issues.

[VideoGameJunkie]

My guess is that, the second we start thinking we're his jewels, we aren't. And the idea that a soul is "good for nothing" contradicts the scriptures, wherein we are told that the worth of a soul is great.

Practically speaking, though, it's clear to me that VideoGameJunkie suffers, like me, with self-esteem issues. Telling someone like that they are worthless is not a good idea.

VideoGameJunkie, I have to constantly remind myself that as humans, we cannot see what God sees in us. Where people like you and me see only failure, sin, and worthlessness, God sees our inherent good and our potential. You are worth something, and you do matter.

Thank you for that Jk!

[VideoGameJunkie]

Here's an analogy of my worries about past sins even though I'm good now. Imagine you're a smoker. You finally quit, and no longer smoke, but you still worry down the road about developing lung cancer because of your past smoking.

[Ahab]

Here's an analogy of my worries about past sins even though I'm good now. Imagine you're a smoker. You finally quit, and no longer smoke, but you still worry down the road about developing lung cancer because of your past smoking.

I think I know what you mean.  I realize how some of my sins have held me back from being as good as I could have been now had I not committed those sins in the first place.  Like how I was once very unwise with money, going into debt, contrary to the will of the Lord that I stay out of debt.... except for maybe a home and a college education, with the Lord preferring that I live within my means doing as much good as I could with the money I got, using it to build up the kingdom of God on the Earth rather than paying all of that interest to credit card companies and banks and what not... anyway, there are still a lot of lingering effects from those poor choices I made and I can never get to a point where it's if I never committed that sin... whether you call it greed or just being an unwise steward.

 

But the good news is that we'll all get a fresh start when we are resurrected and at that point we'll all be on the same level with all of the others who are resurrected with us.  So the lesson will have been learned, and we'll know to do better with our resources, with no more of those linger effects from this life experience to slow us down.

 

In other words, in your case, no more worries about whether or not you got cancer while you were here, because you'll be starting out that next phase with a glorified resurrected body that will never again have to worry about "health" problems.

[VideoGameJunkie]

I think I know what you mean.  I realize how some of my sins have held me back from being as good as I could have been now had I not committed those sins in the first place.  Like how I was once very unwise with money, going into debt, contrary to the will of the Lord that I stay out of debt.... except for maybe a home and a college education, with the Lord preferring that I live within my means doing as much good as I could with the money I got, using it to build up the kingdom of God on the Earth rather than paying all of that interest to credit card companies and banks and what not... anyway, there are still a lot of lingering effects from those poor choices I made and I can never get to a point where it's if I never committed that sin... whether you call it greed or just being an unwise steward.

 

But the good news is that we'll all get a fresh start when we are resurrected and at that point we'll all be on the same level with all of the others who are resurrected with us.  So the lesson will have been learned, and we'll know to do better with our resources, with no more of those linger effects from this life experience to slow us down.

 

In other words, in your case, no more worries about whether or not you got cancer while you were here, because you'll be starting out that next phase with a glorified resurrected body that will never again have to worry about "health" problems.

So true! Thanks for understanding my analogy.

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

Yes or no question. Go.

If so only because Christ is indeed mighty to save and merciful as scripture encourages that he is...in short. Because of his greatness and not mine.

[VideoGameJunkie]

If so only because Christ is indeed mighty to save and merciful as scripture encourages that he is...in short. Because of his greatness and not mine.

If done through the mercy and grace of the atonement, can a man who has sinned and repented experience the same exaltation ability as an apostle?

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

If done through the mercy and grace of the atonement, can a man who has sinned and repented experience the same exaltation ability as an apostle?

That is the promise that his mercy is endless if we seek it. When that day comes, I am interested in mercy and want nothing to do with justice. So that indeed, he is mighty to save.

[VideoGameJunkie]

That is the promise that his mercy is endless if we seek it. When that day comes, I am interested in mercy and want nothing to do with justice. So that indeed, he is mighty to save.

That's good to hear and goes with the story of every worker being paid the same.

[Calm]

Here's an analogy of my worries about past sins even though I'm good now. Imagine you're a smoker. You finally quit, and no longer smoke, but you still worry down the road about developing lung cancer because of your past smoking.

Thankfully the Atonement allows us to have security in knowing that our sins do not act like a spiritual cancer if we repent of them...though the reality of mortality does mean that at times we have to deal with the physical and emotional and mental consequences of our actions even if we are healed of them in the next life.

[Calm]

If done through the mercy and grace of the atonement, can a man who has sinned and repented experience the same exaltation ability as an apostle?

I highly doubt that any apostle would deny that they too have sinned and had to repent...up until their dying day.

[VideoGameJunkie]

I highly doubt that any apostle would deny that they too have sinned and had to repent...up until their dying day.

True. It's just that apostles seem so perfect.

[VideoGameJunkie]

What people and kind of people go to Spirit Prison instead of Spirit Paradise?

[Storm Rider]

It would not surprise me to see both apostles and prophets of the later days to be in the same situation that each of us find ourselves....pleading for the mercy of our Father in Heaven.  They are called to serve, but that does not denote a high degree of holiness, rather a degree of willingness.  When I recognize the degree that policy has played in the latter days I am oft reminded of the phrase, "Amen to the priesthood or authority of that man".  It is the other edge of the sword of leadership.  They serve in complete obedience to the will of the Father or they do not.  If policy is not the will of the Father; the price is heavy indeed.  

[Tacenda]

Here's an analogy of my worries about past sins even though I'm good now. Imagine you're a smoker. You finally quit, and no longer smoke, but you still worry down the road about developing lung cancer because of your past smoking.

It is apparent to me that you have forgotten Christ's sacrifice.  It bothers me, in my evolving belief, that LDS don't seem to rely too heavily on Him but themselves.  Jesus Christ has offered his life, when are you going to take it VGJ?!? 

[VideoGameJunkie]

It is apparent to me that you have forgotten Christ's sacrifice.  It bothers me, in my evolving belief, that LDS don't seem to rely too heavily on Him but themselves.  Jesus Christ has offered his life, when are you going to take it VGJ?!? 

I try to, but I keep remembering past mistakes that keep popping into my head and I keep worrying because no unclean thing can enter the Lord's presence. I hear that and immediately think I have to be perfect and that mistakes doom my chances at exaltation and even after repenting the mistakes still pop in my mind when I read scriptures about sin.

[Tacenda]

I try to, but I keep remembering past mistakes that keep popping into my head and I keep worrying because no unclean thing can enter the Lord's presence. I hear that and immediately think I have to be perfect and that mistakes doom my chances at exaltation and even after repenting the mistakes still pop in my mind when I read scriptures about sin.

I do the same quite often. But will never forget a RS lesson with a southern lady teaching, to put all my sins/troubles at His feet. I had never heard that said that way in all my years of being LDS! So really I don't walk my talk, but working on letting go. But keep thinking of day to day...loving God, yourself, neighbor (everyone), and try not to think about exaltation.

[VideoGameJunkie]

I do the same quite often. But will never forget a RS lesson with a southern lady teaching, to put all my sins/troubles at His feet. I had never heard that said that way in all my years of being LDS! So really I don't walk my talk, but working on letting go. But keep thinking of day to day...loving God, yourself, neighbor (everyone), and try not to think about exaltation.

Good advice about not thinking about exaltation!

[Tsuzuki]

Yes or no question. Go.

Exalted by some, and reviled by others, but feared by all.