Damaged pillars and a wall

Along the sea edge of the promenade are cement pillars holding a railing in place. Those that stand where the sea breaks over the wall the most often do suffer damage even though they remain in place. Some lose chunks of cement, some get rusty spots where the metal rod inside is exposed, and some become discoloured. 

There are things we do which damage our spirits even though we may remain active in the church and think we are doing fine. Maybe we go to places where the Spirit won't be with us or where we know we will face temptation. Maybe we watch inappropriate movies, listen to music that doesn't have a good influence on us, or read books or look at pictures we shouldn't. We may think we are in our place and standing strong, but like the pillars facing rough seas, we may also lose chunks or become discoloured. The atonement can heal us of this damage if we choose to stay safely on the Lord's side.





In places where the sea is the most dangerous and the most likely to break over the promenade, a wall has been built for protection. We may need to build a wall of protection for ourselves and our families. We can do this by controlling the media in our lives, and by setting standards and limits.