Being an “agent unto yourself” balances doing things of your own will and seeking God’s will.
When we think about agency, we imagine the divine gift of the right to choose for ourselves. We often hear of agency in connection with being an agent, someone who actively makes decisions and is not acted upon by objects (see 2 Nephi 2:14, 16, 26). This definition is important in our technological world full of apps and media trying to suck up all of our attention. Being an agent is an important skill to master, but sometimes we may take it too far and forget to also seek the will of God as we act.
Photo by Levi Meir Clancy
The parable of the royal marriage feast teaches us a valuable lesson about being agents while following God’s will. Elder David A. Bednar shares his take on the parable in his general conference talk “Put On Thy Strength, O Zion.” In the story, one man chose to attend the feast without following the commandment to wear the appropriate wedding garment. Elder Bednar teaches that this man was rebellious; he chose to do things his own way instead of obeying the instructions given by the king. Elder Bednar then tells us that we choose to be chosen by God “through the righteous exercise of our moral agency.” To do this, we must learn to make correct decisions and seek and obey the will of our Heavenly Father.
Today, there is an increase of individualism, the idea that we need to be entirely self-reliant and independent, free to decide what truth is for us. This focus on individualism emphasizes being an agent unto ourselves, yes, but it also cuts God and his will out of the equation.
If we don’t seek God’s will through revelation and following what he has already commanded, we’ve lost an essential part of our agency. We must strive to actively listen to God each day and then act righteously.
We get to choose to be chosen. If we act for ourselves and seek God’s will, we will become spiritually independent and be ready to take on the technological world and whatever other challenges we face. If we ask Heavenly Father in prayer what he wants for us, then act, we’ll be prepared for the wedding feast.
Learn more about the parable of the royal marriage feast and our agency in Elder David A. Bednar’s general conference talk, “Put On Thy Strength, O Zion.”
Source: General Conference
—Hadley Parker, Latter-day Saint Insights
FEATURE IMAGE BY MARCO KAUFMANN
Find more insights
Check out Elizabeth Walker’s Latter-day Saint Insights article “The Author of Agency” to read more about letting Christ guide our actions.
Read Elder Quentin L. Cook’s talk “Be One with Christ” to learn about covenant belonging.