“And again, verily I say unto you, and I say it that you may know the truth, that you may chase darkness from among you;” (D&C 50:25). We are neither expected nor required to only meekly bear the voices of darkness that cloud around us in our minds. We have the capacity and the authorization to chase the darkness out from among us whenever we encounter it. When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by Satan, He told him to get thee hence. When He encountered the money changers inside His Father's house, He did not shrug His shoulders and mutter, what can you do? No. He chased them out. If we have a feeling that we are unworthy of God's love and forgiveness, we need to chase that darkness out. And if that feeling comes back two seconds later, bringing along shame and guilt and self-loathing and a whole legion of friends, we need to chase them all out again. When temptations try to barge into our minds and hearts, we don't have to invite them in and hear them out and believe what they say and diligently give heed to their advice, we chase them out. And if they are too strong for us to cast out on our own, then we pray and fast and open the door to Jesus who is standing outside the door knocking. He is brighter than the noonday sun. The darkness won't be able to get out of our lives fast enough when we let Him into our hearts. I know chasing out darkness is a lot easier said than done, and that the darkness when it's clinging to us seems a lot more powerful and persuasive than the promises of the Lord, but if we will just exercise enough faith to let even the tiniest sliver of light, then that light will grow. “That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.” (D&C 50:24).
