Cheer Up Through the Gift of Agency

2 Nephi 10:23 - "Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life."

President Thomas S. Monson - "The moral footings of society continue to slip, while those who attempt to safeguard those footings are often ridiculed and, at times, picketed and persecuted...Fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith."

Seek this Jesus - A Book of Mormon Daily Podcast invites you to discover the joy and guidance that comes from studying the Book of Mormon everyday. This podcast would hope to just be a supplement to your studies. 

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:12

Welcome to Seek This Jesus, a daily podcast dedicated to drawing closer to the Savior through the powerful truths found in the Book of Mormon. Each episode, we focus on one verse that helps us walk more faithfully in his footsteps.

SPEAKER_02 0:31

We live in a world where many people feel trapped. Sometimes we may feel trapped by circumstances, by sin, by fear, by discouragement, or by the direction society is moving. It can feel like we have less control over our lives than we want. One of the great truths of the gospel is that through Jesus Christ we are not helpless. Because of his atonement, we still have the power to choose. We can choose faith over fear, obedience over sin, and hope over discouragement. Jacob understood this. He had spent chapters teaching about the fall, the atonement, the scattering and gathering of Israel and the mercy of God. He had spoken about difficult realities, but he did not want his people to leave feeling hopeless. He wanted them to understand that because of Jesus Christ, they could move forward with courage. They were not trapped, they were not doomed. They were free to choose eternal life. Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves, to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life. As we study this verse today, along with teachings from President Thomas S. Monson, we will consider what it means to use our agency wisely and live with a focus on Jesus Christ. Jacob's invitation to cheer up may seem surprising because he had just finished teaching about serious matters. He had spoken of sin, judgment, and the need for redemption. Yet after teaching all of that, he reminded his people that they had a reason to be hopeful. The reason they could cheer up was because they were free to act for themselves. Agency is one of the greatest gifts God has given us. Heavenly Father did not create us to be forced into righteousness, he created us with the ability to choose. That choice is part of His plan. Without agency, there could be no growth, no repentance, no faith, and no true discipleship. Because of the fall there is opposition in all things. Because of the atonement of Jesus Christ, we are not permanently trapped by sin, weakness, or past mistakes. We still have the ability to choose the path we will follow today, right now. That is why Lehi taught that the Lord gave unto man that he should act for himself, wherefore man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other. Every day we are enticed in different directions. We are invited to our pride or humility, selfishness or service, sin or righteousness, fear or faith. Agency means that we have the power to decide which voice we will follow. That truth should bring us hope. We may not control every circumstance around us, but we can control the spiritual direction of our lives. We can choose Christ. We can choose repentance. We can choose obedience. We can choose eternal life. Many people believe that freedom means doing whatever we want. The world often teaches that commandments limit us and that obedience restricts us. But Jacob taught the opposite. True freedom is not found in living without rules. True freedom is found in learning to govern ourselves according to God's commandments. The world's version of freedom often leads people into bondage. Sin promises freedom, but it brings addiction, regret, and spiritual darkness. Pride promises independence, but it often leads to isolation. Selfishness promises happiness, but it usually leaves people empty. Jacob not only reminded the people that they are free to choose, but he also taught them how to preserve that freedom. In the very next verse he taught them to reconcile yourselves to the will of God. That is a powerful phrase. To reconcile ourselves to the will of God means we stop fighting against him. We stop insisting on our own way. We stop treating commandments as burdens and instead see them as protection. Obedience does not reduce our agency. Obedience strengthens it. When we choose to follow God, we become more capable of making good choices. We become more spiritually sensitive, we gain greater peace and clarity. We become less controlled by temptation, fear, anger, or worldly pressure. In contrast, when we repeatedly choose sin, our ability to choose freely becomes weaker, habits form, hearts harden, spiritual sensitivity fades. What once felt wrong can begin to feel normal. That is why commandments are not the enemy of freedom. They are the safeguard of freedom. We live in a time when many moral standards are being questioned. Things that were once considered wrong are now celebrated. Those who try to defend truth are often criticized, mocked, or treated as if they are the problem. President Thomas S.

SPEAKER_00 6:21

Monson taught The moral footings of society continue to slip, while those who attempt to safeguard those footings are often ridiculed and at times picketed and persecuted. Fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith.

SPEAKER_02 6:46

That counsel connects perfectly with Jacob's words. We do not need to panic when society moves away from God. We do not need to become discouraged when truth is unpopular. We do not need to feel hopeless when the world becomes darker. We can cheer up because we still have agency. We can still choose prayer even if others do not. We can still choose scripture study, church attendance, repentance, honesty, modesty, kindness, and faith. We can still choose to follow Jesus Christ when others choose a different path. We may not be able to change the entire world around us, but we can choose what kind of disciples we will become within that world. As we consistently make righteous choices, our confidence grows, our homes become stronger, our families become steadier, our hearts become more peaceful. We begin to see that true joy comes from living in harmony with God's will. So here is today's challenge. Take a few minutes today to think about one area of life where we may be resisting God's will. It may be a habit, an attitude, a relationship, or a commandment we have been reluctant to follow. Choose one small action today that moves us closer to the Lord's will in that area. As we do, we will discover that obedience does not take away freedom. It leads us to the greatest freedom of all. Thank you for listening to Seek This Jesus. I hope this message helps you draw a little closer to the Savior, Jesus Christ. Please, don't let this podcast be your only scripture time today. As we open the scriptures for ourselves, the Spirit will teach us things no podcast ever could. If you are exploring the truths of the Book of Mormon for the first time, you can receive a free copy using the link in the description found in every episode of Seek This Jesus. I invite you to come back tomorrow for another verse and message to help you stay focused on Jesus Christ. Until next time, keep seeking this Jesus.