True Meaning of Restoration

Alma 41: 10,12&15.

10 "Do not suppose, because it has been spoken concerning restoration, that ye shall be restored from sin to happiness.  Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness.

12 And now behold, is the meaning of the word restoration to take a thing of a natural state and place it in an unnatural state, or to place it in a state opposite to its nature?

13 O, my son, this is not the case; but the meaning of the word restoration is to bring back again evil for evil, or carnal for carnal, or devilish for devilish - good for that which is good; righteous for that which is righteous; just for that which is just; merciful for that which is merciful.

14 Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again.

15 For that which we do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored; therefore, the word restoration more fully condemneth the sinner, and justifieth him not at all."

I love this passage of scripture.  It hits home in all the right ways.  I love the plan that God has set forth in terms of how we should conduct our lives.  When Christ comes again, and after this earth-life is finished, we shall be resurrected and all things will be restored to their proper state.  Truly this restoration speaks concerning our hearts as well.  Our purpose in this life is to go through the refiner's fire and to show Christ and God who we really are.  To think that our hearts, the driving force behind our thoughts, choices, and actions, will change simply because Christ has come is a wonderful lie that Satan has spread among mankind.  If this were the case, then I would ask what the purpose of this life is?  We are not able to take any material possessions with us after we die, so what is it that we gain from this existence if we achieve a never-ending state of happiness and bliss regardless of what we do or who we become while we are mortal?

Should we not make every effort to ensure that everything we do is out of love? of charity? of improvement? If we do, then the results are made clear.  Those things which we do unto others will be reciprocated, or restored, unto us in the Lord's due time.

I look forward to the time when I can stand before my Lord, give an accounting of my choices made on earth and hear his loving words, "well done, thou good and faithful servant."  I pray that I will have the strength and focus-of-perspective to continue to make choices that lead me to that wonderful and joyous interaction.  I pray that when my actions and thoughts are restored unto me, that I will be able to smile and look my loved ones in the eyes with my head held high.