Repentance is a Process

As I listened to President Russell M. Nelson's talk, We Can Do Better and Be Better, the line that struck me most was the one about repentance:

Nothing is more liberating, more ennobling, or more crucial to our individual progression than is a regular, daily focus on repentance. Repentance is not an event; it is a process.

As I understand it, repentance isn't just seeking forgiveness for individual instances of wrongdoing, though that's certainly part of repentance. In my mind, repentance means change. Repentance means improvement. Repentance means becoming better and learning to do better. Naturally, this takes time. It also takes consistent effort. That's why it's not surprising to me that President Nelson spoke of the need for "a regular, daily focus on repentance." That's what it takes to repent.

As President Nelson said, "Repentance is not an event; it is a process." It's not a one-time apology; it's an ongoing commitment to improve. We don't repent by saying a single prayer; we repent by striving to become better people. While apologizing can be instantaneous, and some of the blessings are available as soon as the process begins, true repentance (along with any other form of personal growth) takes regular, consistent, and frequent effort.

With all that in mind, I'm going to try to set aside time each day to work on self-improvement. I am not yet the best person I can be. I have plenty of room for change and improvement. I guess that means that I need to continue to repent.