SECRET CLOSET

 

“One day when I really understood what Jesus Christ had done for me, I invited Him to come into the house of my heart and as soon as I invited Him, He came, without any hesitation and when He was there, He filled the house with joy and I wanted to run and tell all the neighbours about my guest and how wonderful it was to have Him there.

“And then one day He said: "There is a peculiar odour in this house and it is coming from that locked closet. And although you've let me go into every room in the house, that one door has always been locked and you've never let me in".

“Now that made me mad! I had let him into every room in my house. I ran and did his errands for Him, I let him use my money and now he wanted to look in my secret closet, so I said: "I hold the key and I will not let you in that closet. It's very small, only about 2 feet by 4 feet. The rest of my house is large enough and is perfectly presentable so it shouldn't make any difference".

“And He said: "I cannot stay in this house if you do not give me the key to the closet". And so He left. Oh, I was sad....And great despair and gloom and depression came over me. Because you see, once having had Him as a guest in my home, life was unbearable without Him. And so I went and tearfully pleaded with Him and begged Him: "Come back and I will give you the key to the closet and I will withhold nothing from you. I cannot stand to live without you".

“And so I gave Him the key and He opened my secret closet. And then quickly and efficiently He cleaned out those things that were dead and rotten that I wanted to feel were not there and wanted to ignore. He cleaned the whole closet out, fumigated it, painted it and He made it perfectly acceptable.

“Afterwards I said: "I am so ashamed that you know what was in my closet". And He said: "Why, I see only a house that is totally acceptable to me". And then I knew why I loved Him so and why of all my biggest brothers only this one could love me enough to clean out my closet. And then He said: "You know, I have cleaned out so many closets but it's a strange thing. I can never remember afterwards what was in them".

-        Author Unknown

I read an interesting post yesterday titled “You Can Ask for Forgiveness, But Nothing Will Ever Be the Same”. The closing remarks were this: “Asking for forgiveness is important, but we must accept that some wounds leave permanent marks. We can mend relationships, but we cannot erase history. The best we can do is learn from our mistakes, become better individuals and cherish the people in our lives with greater care and respect.”

Whereas this was a very meaningful and good advice in regards to our relationships, it made me reflect on the many mistakes I have made in my life that I have regretted but with gratitude that I will not bear the scars of them and will not be accountable for them anymore, that through repentance there is one man who can wipe my slate clean forever.

This gratitude brings me to the feet of my Saviour who has made an irrevocable promise that ‘though my sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow’ (Isaiah 1:18). And an even greater promise, that He shall ‘remember them no more’ (D&C 58:42). If He remembered, I would live in shame forever that He knew what was in my secret closet.

How great is the Saviour of my soul who knows my heart and honours my godly sorrow!

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Artist Unknown)