Constructive Thoughts: I am a child of God

Who am I?

I think that may be the one question all of us ask ourselves at some point in our life: Who am I?

I know. Do you?

You see, I am a child of God.

So are you, did y'know that?

We--all of us, everyone ever born on this planet--we are all children of God.

Yep. "Our Heavenly Father" is literal. He is the Father of my spirit, just as my father here on earth is the father of my body. There are many parallels between the two. For example, just as it was important for me, as a child, to listen and obey my earthly father, it is just as important to listen and obey my spiritual Father. My earthly father could warn me of worldly pitfalls and dangers, as well as teach me how to protect myself. My Heavenly Father can warn of spiritual pitfalls and dangers and can teach me, protect me, from those dangers.

I love Him as I love my earthly father. I speak with him as I do my earthly father.

He loves me as does my earthly father.

He knows me as well as my earthly father.

What does this mean? What does it mean to have a spiritual lineage to a Heavenly Father? That spiritual parentage defines our eternal potential. I am an heir to my Father in Heaven, just as I am an heir to my earthly father. We all stand to inherit from our Heavenly Father, just as we stand to inherit from our earthly fathers. Just as Paul wrote, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ." (Romans 8:2.)

We have the ability to inherit all he has, to be joint-heirs with Christ.

All of this from a simple phrase: I am a child of God.

What powerful words, what a powerful message, what a comfort each of us can gain from this phrase.

What other phrase, what other principle, can teach us such a great and awesome principle?

I am a child of God.

And how do I know this? Just like Paul said: "The Spirit itself beareth witness with [my] spirit." I know that this is a true principle.

I know it to be true.

With this knowledge comes responsibility. Many responsibilities, in fact.

I bear the name of my earthly father--because of this, I want to act throughout my life so as to not bring dishonor to his name. Similarly, as a son of our Heavenly Father, I do not wish to bring dishonor to his name either. A modern Prophet of the Lord has said, "That man who knows that he is a child of God, created in the image of a divine Father and gifted with a potential for the exercise of great and godlike virtues, will discipline himself against the sordid, lascivious elements to which all are exposed." (Gordon B. Hinckley, “In Opposition to Evil,” Ensign, Sep 2004 at 2.)

This is one of the responsibilities I bear as His heir. It can be difficult, as none of us is perfect. I make mistakes as we all do. But I want to do my best to fulfill this responsibility--and all my responsibilities as His heir.

Just like my earthly father, my Heavenly Father wants me to succeed, to do my best, and will give me the tools I need to do it. In His case, He sent His Son, to be our Savior, to provide an example and a gift to us all.

I know this to be true.

I know it.

I am a child of God. And so are you.

Isn't it amazing?