Chances

I work at a doctor's office as a PA and I often have patients that I follow for chronic illnesses. I have one patient (who I really like a lot) that has hypertension and high cholesterol. He is very overweight and he smokes. The first time I saw him he had been off his meds for a few months and he promised me that he was changing his life. He said he was going to quit smoking, start eating right, exercising, taking his medications and come in for his appointments. I was excited for him. I wrote his prescriptions and we came up with game plans for helping him exercise and quit smoking. I told him to come back in 3 weeks for a medcheck and fasting blood work. Well, 2 months later he comes back in and is out of his meds (blood pressure was through the roof), he has gained 5 lbs and it still smoking. Again, he said this time will be it. I am going to do it this time. I was excited, but this time worried and not as trusting.

I have thought a lot about this gentleman and myself. I think in many ways I am like him coming to my Heavenly Father and asking again for another chance to change myself. I come in prayer, sometimes later than I should and say "I know I promised to get my priorities straight and I know I promised that I would do a better job of reading my scriptures and I know I promised to always say kind words to others and I know I promised I would look for opportunities to share the gospel and I know I promised to make sure I only enjoy wholesome entertainment, but I haven't done all that I could have and Heavenly Father I am sorry. This time will be different. This time I will do better." Sometimes as I am promising this I wonder: Does He still believe me? Has He given up on me and my promises to do better? But in heart I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are constantly waiting with open arms. They are willing to forgive us and give us chance after chance. We just have to keep trying and keep working to be better and they will always be there for us. I am grateful for second, third, fourth etc. chances for me to try to be better. I am thankful for Christ's atonement and that he doesn't give up on me.