Be Reconciled to God

Align with God's Will

Elder Johnson discusses the importance of aligning our will and actions with God's will. He explains that reconciliation with God involves restoring harmony and resolving discrepancies in our spiritual lives.

To be reconciled to God means to be brought back into harmony with God or to restore a relationship with God that has been strained or broken because of our sins or actions.

Simply put, being reconciled to God means aligning our will and actions with God’s will, or as taught by President Russell M. Nelson, letting God prevail in our lives.

• Reconciliation involves aligning our will with God's.
• Our freedom to act can lead to misalignment if we are not diligent.
• Reconciliation is dependent on the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

• Reflect on a time when you felt out of alignment with God's will. How did you work to restore that harmony?
• Consider a decision you made that brought you closer to God. What steps did you take to align your actions with His will?
• Think about a moment when you felt the Spirit guiding you back to a path of righteousness. How did that experience impact your faith?

Repentance as a Path to Reconciliation

Elder Johnson emphasizes the role of repentance in the reconciliation process. He shares personal insights and scriptural examples to illustrate how repentance leads to restored relationships with God.

For me, I make great progress in my journey to be reconciled to God when I follow the counsel taught by President Nelson and repent every day.

Reconciliation signifies the restoration of a broken relationship, particularly between God and humanity, by removing the barrier of sin.

• Repentance is essential for reconciliation with God.
• Daily repentance helps maintain alignment with God's will.
• The story of Enos exemplifies the power of repentance and reconciliation.

• Share an experience where repentance brought you closer to God.
• Describe a time when you felt the healing power of the Atonement through sincere repentance.
• Reflect on how daily repentance has strengthened your relationship with Heavenly Father.

Strengthen Your Connection to Christ

Elder Johnson uses the metaphor of a cherry tree to illustrate the importance of maintaining a strong connection to Jesus Christ. He warns against the dangers of becoming easily shaken by disobedience, doubts, and fears.

Just as ethylene weakens the connection of a ripe cherry stem, disobedience, doubts, and fears can weaken our connection to the stem of Jesse, or Jesus Christ, allowing us to be easily shaken and separated from Him.

• A strong connection to Christ prevents us from being easily shaken.
• Disobedience and doubts can weaken our spiritual connection.
• Faithful actions, like repentance, strengthen our bond with Christ.

• Think of a time when your faith was tested. How did you strengthen your connection to Christ during that period?
• Share an example of how you overcame doubts to maintain your spiritual resilience.
• Consider a personal experience where your connection to Christ helped you navigate a challenging situation.

Unshakable Faith Through Reconciliation

Elder Johnson explains how reconciliation through the Atonement of Jesus Christ leads to unshakable faith. He highlights the iterative pattern of reconciliation, repentance, and strengthened faith.

Unshaken faith leads to a desire to always be reconciled to God. This is a circular, or iterative, pattern.

I testify that making and keeping covenants makes our connection to the Savior strong, thereby avoiding becoming ripe for destruction.

• Reconciliation leads to unshakable faith.
• The process of reconciliation is iterative and strengthens our faith.
• Keeping covenants strengthens our connection to the Savior.

• Reflect on a time when your faith became unshakable through reconciliation with God.
• Share how keeping covenants has fortified your spiritual foundation.
• Think about a moment when the Atonement of Jesus Christ reinforced your faith.

Avoiding Spiritual Decline

Elder Johnson warns against the spiritual decline that can occur when we become "ripe for destruction." He offers guidance on maintaining spiritual strength and avoiding complacency.

What does this ripeness represent? Does it mean that we can reach a point where we are unable to change? No, I think it means that we can reach a point in time where we are unwilling to change.

• Spiritual decline occurs when we become unwilling to change.
• Regular repentance and seeking revelation prevent spiritual decay.
• Listening to prophets and apostles strengthens our resolve.

• Consider a time when you felt spiritually stagnant. What steps did you take to revitalize your faith?
• Share an example of how following prophetic counsel has helped you avoid spiritual decline.
• Reflect on a personal experience where a change in attitude or behavior prevented spiritual decay.