Protect the Spiritual Power Line

By Elder Russell M. Nelson

of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

One day I was working around our yard with my electric hedge clippers and long extension cord. I had done this often, each time reminding myself to be careful and avoid cutting things that I shouldn’t.

Suddenly the blades became jammed. Because I had not seen the power cord in the thicket where I was trimming, I had cut into the source of the electrical power that made the hedge clippers work.

Isn’t that one of life’s great lessons? I thought. Power, if misused, can cut into the very source of that power.

Just as the careless use of electrical power can sever the source of that power, so is it possible to misuse spiritual power to sever our spiritual power line, which generates success in our lives. Proper use of our spiritual power line allows us to learn, to labor, to be obedient to law, and to love. While these capabilities lead to fulfillment, they also carry risk.

The ultimate source of spiritual power is God our Father. And the messenger of this power is the Holy Ghost. While electrical power can be used only for measured periods of time, spiritual power can be used for time and eternity!

Our spiritual power line is strengthened through prayer. As we counsel with Heavenly Father in all our doings, He will direct us for good. (See Alma 37:37.)

Worship strengthens our power line to deity. There can be no true worship without sacrifice; and there can be no true sacrifice without a cause. The cause that earns our love and priority is the cause of Jesus Christ.

Speaking of His own atonement, the Savior proclaimed, “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world” (John 18:37). His example of worship, sacrifice, and commitment becomes ours! His is the ultimate source of all our power to do good.

As we carefully and prayerfully protect the spiritual power line that links us to the Savior, we become more like Him!

Illustrated by Dave McDonald