No Scars Remain

Christ wants to heal our spirits completely—all we have to do is repent. 

When my six-year-old brother broke his arm, he immediately thought, I bet Dad can fix it! My dad is not a doctor, but in my brother’s mind, he can do anything. While my brother was a little overconfident in my dad’s abilities, we can be confident in Christ’s ability to heal us when we turn to him.

Elder Matthew L. Carpenter shares examples of how Christ heals physically and spiritually in his talk “Wilt Thou Be Made Whole?” He says, “In the scriptures, some suffered for decades; others, their entire mortal lives. Mortal infirmities can refine us and deepen our reliance upon God. But when we allow Christ to be involved, He will always strengthen us spiritually so we can have greater capacity to endure our burdens.”

Spiritual burdens are an inevitable part of life, and so is making mistakes; these “wounds” are essential to our mortal lives. In his talk, Elder Carpenter quotes Elder Lynn G. Robbins: “Repentance isn’t [God’s] backup plan in the event we might fail. Repentance is His plan, knowing that we will.” Recognizing this can help us have the courage to ask for help and healing when we are hurting or need to repent, whether we have a broken arm or a broken spirit.

Elder Carpenter also quotes President Boyd K. Packer, stating that with spiritual injuries, unlike with physical injuries, “when the repentance process is complete, no scars remain because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.” This healing may take time, but if we seek relief through Christ, we can be assured that we will be healed completely.

Find more examples of how Christ heals in Elder Carpenter’s full talk, “Wilt Thou Be Made Whole?”

Source: General Conference of the Church

—Natasha Andersen, Mormon Insights

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Find more insights

Check out Elder Neil L. Andersen’s talk “Wounded” for more insights on the Savior’s healing power.

Read “Repentance: A Joyful Choice” by Elder Dale G. Renlund to learn more about how repentance brings joy, or watch the accompanying Inspirational Message.

Read or watch “Until Seventy Times Seven” by Elder Lynn G. Robbins to learn more about how second chances are part of God’s plan.