The Educational Principle of Self-Reliance

Some conventional Christians do not like the principle of self-reliance.  They think it impugns our dependence on God.  Others accept it, but as a temporal worldly principle only, like life insurance or brushing your teeth.

It is, however, a principle of the restored Gospel.

The difficulty goes away when we realize that self-reliance isn’t a statement of what our relationship with God is.  Its a statement of how God wants to teach us.  Self-reliance is an educational principle.  Self-reliance doesn’t mean God isn’t your father.  It means he is a father who wants his children to grow up.

Other Posts from the Sunday Morning session of the October 1991 General Conference

What is Self-Reliance?
Anyone or Anything Except the Lord