Rediscovering Our Potential

"Of all the titles of respect and honor and admiration that are given to deity, He has asked us to address Him as Father." (Quorum of the Twelve Apostles) 

We are children of God. Do we sometimes forget that? Do we forget that we have an all loving, all knowing, all powerful Heavenly Father who is the literal father of our spirits? Do we forget that as His children, we are capable of receiving all that He has? Elder Richard G Scott reminds us: "you really have no idea yet who you are and what you can accomplish in life. You have great potential far beyond what you can imagine today." (Recognizing Our Divine Potential)

We have potential greater than we can possibly imagine. We aren't perfect, but we can be better. We can accomplish marvelous things. As children of God, our potential is limitless.

Yet, sometimes it's hard to recognize that. The world would have us believe that we are nothing, that we can't succeed, that we are destined to fail; and if we accomplish something, it doesn't even matter. That we are just one in billions, and that our value only comes from our talents, our strengths, or success: pride. This point is illustrated by the teachings of Korihor, an Anti-Christ in the Book of Mormon, who taught that "every man fared in this life according to the management of the creature; therefore every man prospered according to his genius, and that every man conquered according to his strength" (Alma 30:17).

We are more than that, much more. We can make a difference, we can help others, and we can become great. The world would have us look outward for our value, our confidence, our pride. The Savior invites us to look inward and find true happiness, peace, and eternal value. Greatest happiness in this life can be found only in following the commandments of God. You won't find it in a store, at your job, or on the news; you won't find it from others, you will find it in Christ. Through Christ we find our potential, we find joy, we find peace, and we find strength. The only way we can overcome the natural man and overcome the world is through Christ. He is "the way, the truth, and the life." (John 14:6)

When you find yourself doubting your potential, doubting your value or doubting your ability to succeed, remember: you are a child of God. 

I am reminded of Simba from the Lion King. He had forgotten the potential that he had to be king; he had forgotten who he was, and what he was. Yet when his father reminded him, he was able to accomplish wonderful things and become the king he was always meant to be. The same is true for Hercules. His father was Zeus, yet because Hercules had been separated from him, he had forgotten who he was, and what he was capable of. He saw himself as an outcast, an oddball, and a failure; until he realized the potential that he had to become a hero.

We all have that potential, because God is our Father. We can be the heroes and heroines, the kings and queens we were always meant to become.