Digital Only: Young Adults
Worthy Heirs
If we really understand that each of us is training to become more like Heavenly Father, change becomes possible.
Growing up, I remember being taught that I am a child of God—whether it was singing the hymn in Primary, hearing it from my parents at home, or listening to Church leaders preach it over the pulpit. It’s a point of doctrine we never stop hearing about. As President Russell M. Nelson taught the young adults of the Church, “My dear friends, you are literally spirit children of God.”1
Although this is a doctrine that I have always believed in, I don’t think I have always understood it. As President Boyd K. Packer (1924–2015) stated, “True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior.”2
With the doctrine of divine identity, I recognized that I was a child of heavenly parents, but my attitudes and behaviors weren’t changed because of that knowledge. To me, being a child of God meant that there was someone who loved me and cared for my well-being. And while this is true, I had not internalized the aspect of that identity that empowers me to change.
But one day God helped me deepen my understanding. While studying my scriptures early one morning, the Spirit led me to a few verses found in Romans 8. Verses 16–17 state, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” I had heard that before. But I continued on and read the next verse which explains, “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ”. As soon as I read these words, the Spirit bore testimony to me that I am a child of God with a divine purpose here on earth. That sunk in deeper than it ever had before. In that moment it felt as if I were carrying a torch that had just been lit. I could see clearly now that as children of God, we are on a path that not only leads us back to Heavenly Father but also helps us become more like Him. This new understanding began to warm me as well as enlighten my path.
Knowing that I am a son of God and that I’m destined to become more like Him has had a profound impact on my life. It has changed the way I think and act in everyday situations. Throughout mortality there are a myriad of demands placed on us—from having to earn a living to getting good grades in school to helping sick family members and even to preparing regular meals. Life can be very stressful. But because I understand my identity as a son of God, I can view my challenges as an opportunity to grow. God is not trying to punish me or make things more difficult by placing so many demands on my plate. Rather, He is helping me train to become a worthy heir.
When I deepened my understanding of this doctrine, I naturally started changing my attitudes and behaviors about simple things in my life. For example, I started making my bed and cleaning my room each morning, not because someone was coming to see if I had done my chores, but because I knew God was clean and organized. I realized that if I am able to hold the same position as Him one day, I have need to be clean and organized too. I started to see these tasks as opportunities to repent and grow to become more like God.
Understanding this profound doctrine has changed me for the better. It has guided my thoughts and actions as I set goals and prepare for the future. It has helped me avoid evil as I recognize that sinning and succumbing to temptation inhibits me from reaching my full potential. Most importantly, knowing this truth has motivated me to change. I’m consciously and continuously shifting my behaviors to align them with those of a potential heir to the kingdom of God.