Several months ago, I was at a point where I felt keenly my flaws. While in church on a particular Sunday during that time, I spoke in front of the congregation, and I said that the older I get, the more I realize that I need Jesus Christ.
In my notes among my list of possible concepts for parables for this website, I had an item about not being able to cleanse myself, that I must be cleansed by Him. However, as I gave that some thought, my mind went back to the Parable of the Silver Pitcher and an element of the story that I glossed over the last time I gave some interpretation of that parable.
When Sandra decided it was time to return the silver pitcher to her mother after many years, it was in bad shape. Sandra herself didn’t have the knowledge and tools to restore it. The knowledge and tools were in the possession of a metalworker. Having him restore the pitcher came with a cost to Sandra, and it wasn’t small. But that metalworker did His job well, and Sandra experienced her mother’s approval as a result.
That metalworker in our case is the Redeemer. We don’t have the capability to restore ourselves to innocence and purity. Only Jesus can do that through His atoning sacrifice and power. Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught us to “remember, joyfully and reverently, that the Savior loves to restore what you cannot restore; He loves to heal wounds you cannot heal; He loves to fix what has been irreparably broken; He compensates for any unfairness inflicted on you; and He loves to permanently mend even shattered hearts” (“Consider the Goodness and Greatness of God“).
Because Heavenly Father gave me an intellect, He expects me to use it and work through my problems. But He also knows that certain problems cannot be overcome by any mortal reasoning or energy, and so He provided His Only Begotten Son to provide the way to overcome. Sometimes it may cost us something—usually our bad habits, our pride, or other sins—to have Him work in our lives. When we come offering that payment, He is ready to go to work.
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