Alma 29:5
I love the overall idea that we get what we want in the end... but reading about desiring "remorse of conscience" makes the whole thing a lot more complex than our usual "wish-fulfillment" types of fantasies. The type of desires that God is talking about aren't just the ones that we profess, but the ones that we live. The ones that are right down at the core of our being.
It's hard to understand why we, or anyone, would choose remorse if it were just a straight choice--but in actual practice, sometimes we do. We choose bad habits, obsessions, and sins over alternatives, even when we know there are consequences. Even though we'd of course rather have no consequences, we understand the repercussions and we choose them anyway. Unfortunately, if we don't turn it around and repent of those character flaws, then those consequences that we are willing to live with will be the same ones we live with in the eternities... and we have to consider honestly, is that what we want? Is it okay with us to get that habit or sin along with the consequences, or are we looking for something better, with no aftertaste of remorse? If we are, then God can hook us up with his path. :)
I think one of the reasons that repentance can be challenging in many cases is exactly this--we really wanted to do that, and to repent, we not only have to not DO it, we also have to learn to not WANT it. Today, let's work on choosing things that we want long-term, and repenting of things that carry negative consequences that we don't want. To avoid that remorse of conscience thing, we have to take a really hard look at our lives and figure out what we want... which is pretty hard all by itself, but as with all things, it is something that God can help us with, if we ask. :)
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