Good People with Bad Habits

What an amazing day today! I had the chance to be on the “Forgive and Thrive” podcast today. We talked about the importance of discussing pornography and why we need to get the topic out there. I had such an amazing time on the podcast.

Throughout the podcast, I brought up the mirror test. This test is something my mom started with me and I have shared with a few brothers in recovery. You look into the mirror and then state what you see. I know when I looked in the mirror, I saw an addict. I saw someone with a problem and that is what defined me. For long time, that is all I saw. Sure, there were some days where I saw less than that, but for the most part that is all I saw.

It’s all I saw until an ARP mission shared a thought from Shakespeare’s comedy, “As you like it”. To best put it, I will share Elder Dale G Renlund’s thought, when he was serving in the Seventy: “The comedy As You Like It, written by the English playwright William Shakespeare, depicts a dramatic change in a character’s life. An older brother attempts to have his younger brother killed. Even knowing this, the younger brother saves his wicked brother from certain death. When the older brother learns of this undeserved compassion, he is totally and forever changed and has what he calls a “conversion.” Later several women approach the older brother and ask, “Was’t you that did so oft contrive to kill [your brother]?”

The older brother answers, “’Twas I; but ’tis not I: I do not shame to tell you what I was, since my conversion so sweetly tastes, being the thing I am.”” (Latter Day Saints Keep On Trying, General Conference, April 2015)

The older brother, because of his change, was able to say that is who I was, but it’s not who I am. There is a distinct difference there. The way I like to put it is like this: we are good people who developed bad habits. When we start to see ourselves the way that God sees us, we start to see the good in ourselves. This gives us hope and helps us move on our bad habits.

Another great example of this idea of good people with bad habits is Alma and the sons of Mosiah. The Book of Mormon records they were “the vilest of sinners” (Mosiah 28:4). They went around trying to destroy God’s church, until they had an experience. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and asked them why they were going about trying to destroy God’s church? (Mosiah 27:11-18) After this great experience, Alma and the sons of Mosiah repent and believe on Jesus Christ. They become powerful missionaries and do amazing things for the people of God’s church in the Americas. Alma and the sons of Mosiah were good people who had bad habits.

So, I encourage you to do the mirror test. If you are addicted to pornography, or anything else, just remember this as you look at yourself: You are a good person with some bad habits. We can address the bad habits and let the good person go free! This is all possible through the Jesus Christ and his Atonement!

I can’t say it enough, you are a good person and you might have some bad habits. Those bad habits don’t define you. They are things to work on so you can let the good person free!

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