Joel 2:12-13 -- On Tearing our Hearts

"Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil."
Joel 2:12-13


The message here is clear: God wants us back, no matter what we've done in the past. He offers us the chance to come back, but it isn't some trivial thing. We can't just say we're sorry, knowing that we'll behave exactly the same again. We have to come to him humbly, seeking his help to change, and commit to him fully. It was a tradition in Old Testament times to tear your clothing as a sign of mourning or extreme sadness, and here God asks us to tear our hearts instead... that's where the change needs to happen, not externally. It's the same thing that God asks when he asks us to come unto him with a "broken heart and a contrite spirit" (3 Nephi 12:19). Even if we can only desire to change, we can go to God with that desire, and he can help us turn it into real results... as long as we are willing to work for it. God can change our hearts for us, if we ask (Alma 5:7, Mosiah 5:2).

Today, let's be serious about our desire to turn to God and not put it off any longer. Let's stop saying we're going to change, and actually start doing it. The first step (as with everything) is to pray. Pray through the whole process. We can tell God what is holding us back, but that we want to move forward. We can ask for his help, and talk through all the reasons we need to change, how we want to feel more hope and happiness, and ask God to bless us with those things as we change. If we're sincere... if we truly want to turn back to God, he will help us mightily, and walk with us through the process. It still won't be fun, because tearing part of ourselves and letting God remake us is painful... but in the end if we can let go of the darkness and be filled with more and more light, totally worth it. Let's get started, and stay the course.