As we witness the “signs of the times” leading up to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed or anxious. How can we face the future with faith and be forces for good?

President Camille N. Johnson believes that stewardship is crucial to preparing for the Lord’s return. In a recent devotional for young adults, she defined stewardship as “carefully and responsibly managing those things entrusted to our care.” She posed the following question:

Reflecting on this question can empower us to focus on the specific things in our spheres that God has entrusted us with and use our agency for righteousness. That focus will prepare us and the world for the Second Coming.

President Johnson taught that we each have a sacred responsibility to care for all of God’s creations: “You have stewardship for your own body and mind. You have stewardship for the abilities, talents, spiritual gifts, and the help with which you have been blessed. You have stewardship for the earth. And you have stewardship for one another.”

While we share this duty to care for each other and the world around us, how we manage our personal stewardship will look different. How we become a “profitable steward,” or “care for God’s creations wisely and generously,” will be individually based on our unique circumstances, gifts, and choices.

President Johnson suggested avoiding comparisons when identifying your personal stewardship:

President Johnson reminded us that we don’t need to wait to be told “some great thing” to do to make an impact in the world and prepare for the Second Coming.

“Sisters and brothers, I invite you to use your gifts and talents to do a few ‘small and simple’ things in the sphere of your stewardship,” she declared. “Wherever you live, there are malnourished children. Wherever you live, there are people who cannot read. Wherever you live, there are barriers to health care. Wherever you live, there are those who are hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, and in prison, literally or figuratively.

“Friends, we need you! I hope that you will earnestly seek revelation and use your gifts and talents to find creative solutions to help bless the future of all God’s children. This is surely part of your divine stewardship.”

Rather than sinking into overwhelm or feeling helpless to relieve suffering in the latter days, we can focus on Jesus Christ and our stewardship to share His love. He will help us know where to place our focus, and His light is more powerful than any darkness we may face.

“You may feel powerless to effect longstanding solutions, but with confidence, I declare that blessed with the strength and power of God available to you as you make and keep covenants with Him, you can counter the negative and shine light in every corner of darkness,” President Johnson said. “We can answer negativity by flooding the world with the light and good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Watch President Johnson’s full devotional here. For more resources on preparing for the Second Coming, check out the articles below:

▶ 10 ways Pres. Nelson has invited you to prepare for the Second Coming
▶ 4 signs of the Second Coming that will fill you with hope
▶ Have we misunderstood virtue? 2 realizations I had after Pres. Nelson’s talk

Inspiring messages of faith

Sometimes, we need someone to remind us, like Mordecai told Esther, “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).
In this collection of talks by women for women, you will find testimonies that the Lord will meet us where we are. Some of the featured voices include Sheri Dew, Kate Holbrook, Sunny Mahe, and Tammy Uzelac Hall.

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