gospel teachings and the harsh realities of life. For much of my lifetime, I assumed that God would deal with these complexities after death. However, I have come to realize that our Savior makes possible a daily compensating power that fills these gaps by righting the wrongs of an unfair world and imperfect people.

 

Christians talk about Christ's atonement in various ways, such as the Savior's ability to cleanse from sin, comfort in time of need, and strengthen to overcome trials. One often overlooked application of Christ's atonement is how He offers recompense for the unfairness and weaknesses of life. Christ’s compensating power is His ability to make up for losses that are beyond our control (e.g., the pain that is caused by others and the natural world) and counteract the negative outcomes of life caused by our personal weaknesses (e.g., the pain we cause others or ourselves). In a world in which grief, unfairness, and imperfection are hallmarks, Christ’s ability to make recompense is the key to bridging our hopes and our sorrows. The purpose of this book is to explain what Christ's compensating power is as well as how this power is enacted in our daily life. The book introduces three overarching ways Christ compensates us, and then in each section, explores how these work in our lives. Throughout each section, we explore stories, scriptures, and my own personal journey – as someone who struggled with questions, anxiety, and self-doubt – of learning to see Christ's role and feel His love in a new and different way.

​

How Christ Compensates Us for Our Own Imperfections

There are many instances in our lives when we make unintentional mistakes that are due to personal weaknesses or lacking a full understanding, not sinful rebellion. There are other instances where we may feel that our faith is insufficient and we lack the obedience to make miracles happen in our lives. This aspect explores how the atoning power of Jesus Christ compensates us for our personal imperfections,  inadequacies, and innocent mistakes.

​

How Christ Compensates Others for Our Imperfections

Whether we are a parent, missionary, teacher, sibling, or church leader, we are often asked to serve and manage others. Learning to fulfill a role of leadership is an important aspect of this life, but they can result in numerous problems. Further, even if our responsibilities do not bring obvious issues, the fact remains that, because we are mortal, we likely performed the job suboptimally. For example, parents are especially prone to worry about how their weaknesses will impact their children. Here, we visit some of the circumstances in which Christ compensates other people for our imperfections by making our efforts sufficient, and how He makes up for what we lack in our stewardships.

​

How Christ Compensates Us for the Imperfections of Others and the World

People are born into various circumstances and opportunities, many of which seem unfair. Similarly, bad things often happen to good people. This aspect of the compensating power deals with how Christ compensates us for the imperfections of others and, more generally, the world and randomness of life. Here, we discuss how the Atonement offers recompense for the accidental nature of living in a fallen world. It also discusses how Christ compensates for afflictions, including those caused by other people, and makes them our gain.