Damned It, Don’t be that Guy – Power through
- If damned is to cease progressing or to regress—and it is
- If damnation merely means the end of progress—and it does
- If one voluntarily damns himself by failing to progress in understanding—and he does
- If refusing to receive a blessing or knowledge God offers damns a man—and it will
- If damnation means you hedging up the way so you cannot progress—and it does
- Then damned it, don’t be that guy
Much like procrastination, the consequences of damnation aren’t attendant to its presence so it often seems benign—not harmful in its effect. We may not even notice our progress has ceased. But eventually, both damnation and procrastination are called forward to settle and reconcile their accounts. We are all, some more than others, acquainted with the settlement process for procrastination and it’s usually less friendly toward us than if we had not delayed. The effects of procrastination should serve as a bellwether to us for damnation—it will be unpleasant for us—eventually.
Damnation effectively keeps you from closing the distance or gap between you and God. That’s a problem, but ridden to its final destination, damnation matures into something you will not want to encounter. Condemnation. That which damns you now will condemn you later.
Alma, expounding and expanding on Amulek’s words put it this way – “our words will condemn us, our works will condemn us and our thoughts will condemn us.” And even worse for us “in this awful state we shall not dare look up to our God” (Alma 9:4).
In a sense, damnation as an offense is a misdemeanor which can be easily corrected but will grow into a felony if not promptly addressed. You may be familiar with this thought by Mr. Alma, “do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end. For after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed” (Alma 16:37).
- “do not procrastinate the day of your repentance” – which is to say don’t consent to damnation.
- “if we do not improve our time…” or if we consent to damnation
Damnation is the offspring of procrastination and failure to persistently pursue light.
In your effort to overcome damnation you must, however, “face an adversary who is committed to keeping you from receiving light and truth. He knows very well how this process works. Unlike you, he has no doubts about this process. So. the adversary directs his efforts to keep men from closing the distance between themselves and God. Interestingly, his role in this process is described with perfect clarity in the scriptures as well: “And that wicked one comes and takes away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers” (T&C 93:11). The Adversary is trying to keep you from gaining light and truth. He understands how to do that: Get you to disobey the commandments. You think you are just struggling with a problem or weakness. You think you are having some temptation that drives you to distraction. The criticism, complaint, or weakness you have that challenges your faith is not that at all. It is your enemy working on taking light and truth away from you. This is the balance in which you find yourself. Choose the light.” (glossary Commandment)
All of the adversary’s efforts are toward damning you!
Here’s the test – “And we will prove them herewith to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them.”(2) Of all the commands given, personally and in scripture, repent is given most often. Repentance is the key that unlocks every possibility and it’s free.
“Don’t fear failure but be terrified of regret.”1
Damned It, Don’t be that Guy – Power through
Signed
John The-Not-So-Beloved
The above thoughts were engendered and quoted from glossary terms Damned, Commandments, Scriptures, Spirit.
1 – Deshauna Barber 2 – Abraham 6:2
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