'Broken heart is eternal attribute of godliness'
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The Savior's perfect submission to the Eternal Father is the essence of a broken heart and a contrite spirit, Elder Bruce D. Porter declared Saturday afternoon.
"Christ's example teaches us that a broken heart is an eternal attribute of godliness," Elder Porter of the Seventy said. "When our hearts are broken, we are completely open to the spirit of God and recognize our dependence on Him for all that we have and all that we are.
"The sacrifice so entailed is a sacrifice of pride in all its forms. Like malleable clay in the hands of a skilled potter, the broken-hearted can be molded and shaped in the hands of the Master."
Having a contrite spirit and a broken heart are also preconditions to repentance, Elder Porter continued. "When we sin and desire forgiveness, a broken heart and a contrite spirit means to experience 'godly sorrow' that 'worketh repentance' (2 Corinthians 7:10). This comes when our desire to be cleansed from sin is so consuming that our hearts ache with sorrow and we yearn to feel at peace with our Father in Heaven. Those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit are willing to do anything and everything that God asks of them without resistance or resentment. We cease doing things our way and learn to do them God's way instead."
Elder Porter also explained that once forgiveness of sins has been received, a broken heart serves as a divine shield against temptation. "When we yield our hearts to the Lord, the attractions of the world simply lose their luster."
Yet another dimension of a broken heart, he added, is "our deep gratitude for Christ's suffering on our behalf.... As we make the sacrifice to Him of all that we have and all that we are, the Lord will fill our hearts with peace."
