Many times we are confronted with
problems that seem beyond our own capability and understanding to overcome. Our
need for help leads us to God for guidance and direction. We have been
counseled, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God” (James 1:5). God
desires to answer our prayers and will speak to us.
Although we wish for our loved ones to
come unto Christ and be healed, this is something they must do for themselves.
Heavenly Father waits patiently for them to exercise faith and take the
necessary steps toward recovery. We too must be patient and align our will to
God’s. We can search and ponder the scriptures, which can be a means through
which the Lord can speak to us and help on our journey of peace and healing. As
we ponder the scriptures, we can look for guidance from the Spirit to
understand how to seek healing from the Savior. The Holy Ghost is called the
Comforter. (see John 14:26). There are numerous descriptions throughout
scriptures about the Holy Ghost and the Holy Spirit. Sometimes, they are interchangeable depending
on the translator.
Who is the Holy Ghost? What is the Holy Spirit? Are they the same?
The purpose of the Holy Ghost is to impart
information and pure intelligence. The Holy Spirit can also be called the Light
of Christ. It has a relationship with
every living thing, whether plant, animal, human or ecosystem. They are all borrowing power from the Holy
Spirit to live, move, breathe, remain organized and do things. The Holy Ghost resides inside of us and receives
intelligence from God.
How can the Holy Ghost be your
"Comforter"?
Who is
the Second Comforter?
Discerning the whisperings of the Spirit
may be challenging, especially during the emotionally charged situations we
sometimes face with our loved ones. At times we may question whether the
impressions we receive are our own feelings or the promptings of the Spirit. Often
heavenly messages come fleetingly, softly and gently. They glide into the subconscious, so subtly
that if we are not open to receive, we might not recognize they have come, or
we may even ignore them.
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| Art by Amberle Stoffers |
Learning to discern what the Holy
Ghost is telling us is a spiritual gift. Spiritual gifts are like a muscle that
is used over and over, these gifts strengthen if used regularly. Developing our
gifts can bring us closer to the Savior because we become more receptive to
promptings.
As we pursue the development of our
talents and gifts, it can bring satisfaction, growth, and positive change in
our own lives. It may take time and
effort for us to discover and further develop our gifts, but all of us have
much to contribute through our God-given abilities.
What are some of your gifts and
talents?
In addition to recognizing and being
grateful for our own gifts, it is essential that we recognize the divinity
within others, especially our family members. In our relationships, the things
we focus on largely determine how we feel about a person. It may be difficult
to imagine now what our loved ones would be like without their addiction.
However, an important part of our own healing process is to look past their
addiction to who they really are: a beloved son or daughter of God. Despite the
difficult situation we are in, we can make the choice to be grateful for the
good characteristics and deeds of our loved ones. If we make an effort to
listen and observe with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we can see the
divine potential in everyone, even those who have hurt us.
What helps you see the good in your
loved one?
Beginning
the process of learning to receive revelation may be confusing. We ask
questions and wait to hear something, but what are we expecting to hear? Will
it be an audible voice? Will it be a warm feeling? Many have been conditioned
by years of Sunday School to expect a “burning in the bosom” or some miraculous
event. Many waiting to get that feeling simply give up, until they start crying
because somebody shared a sentimental story and they wonder if they now have a
spiritual witness. Typically, revelation comes as a soft, mild voice in the
mind and a clear knowledge that rests upon the soul “like the dews from
Heaven.”
Our brains act as receivers for the
mind in much the same way a television translates waveforms into pictures and
sound. Compare this to trying to take a
TV apart to see how it makes old reruns of I Love Lucy. If we throw our new digital set out the
window and watch it smash into a million pieces, our favorite programs will still be floating
through the air, even though we
can't detect them with our
senses. So it is, with what many call non-local mind, which implies that
thoughts, memories and perspectives we hold will continue after our physical receiver shuts down and is buried
in the ground. There is also a similar
point made with a cell phone. Phone
calls from millions of people are streaming down from satellites, going
everywhere, but we do not hear any of
them. However, a phone is tuned so that it can register a
certain pattern, start ringing and initiate communication. It serves as antenna, tuner and amplifier.
Most
of us have to “grow into the principle of revelation.” Start by asking closed-end questions that can
be answered with either a “yes” or “no” answer. If the answer is unclear,
repeat the question a second or third time to see if the same answer is
received. If there is a confused feeling, rephrase the question or ask a
different question until a response comes. A question that is too broad may not be answered. We need
to ask questions that the Spirit can properly answer. Often the Spirit will
lead us to know what and how to ask the actual question. As our understanding
of the Spirit grows we can receive more than the single word response.
What are some examples of questions that you might ask?
Ask LOTS of questions, humbly, patiently, and
expect to get an answer to each question. It requires concentration of the mind
and heart working together in harmony. As we progress into the principle of
revelation, we will begin to receive more than just “yes and no” answers.
Phrases will come to us, and phrases will grow into sentences, and sentences
into conversations, as we find ourselves speaking by the Power of the Holy
Ghost to someone on the other side of the veil.
Our spiritual experiences can be anything
from feeling a moment of gratitude to receiving an answer to prayer. We may energetically "feel" a touch
that is not physical, such as the "feel" of spiritual arms around us. Take notice. It may be pure
intelligence flowing. We may get sudden strokes of ideas. We may get goose bumps or have tears
well up in our eyes. Take care to distinguish them from "emotions".
We can get emotional watching a movie or hearing a story or witnessing a race
or listening to our children perform.
These are not the Holy Ghost. Emotions
often come as a RESULT of information that you are given from the Holy Ghost.
Thoughts may come into our mind that are filled with love and compassion.
The gift of Seeing shows itself as
images (which may be fleeting), dreams, visions or déjà vu experiences. Visual experiences usually occur with the
spiritual eyes which is sometimes referred to as the Third Eye. We can discover
these gifts by discerning how we have had spiritual experience in the past. Perhaps it was a strong KNOWING. When reading scripture and receiving the
witness of its truth, look at how that happened. Did a KNOWING just envelope you? The gift of Knowing is when we don’t particularly hear or see
anything, but somehow just immediately KNOW.
The gift of Hearing may manifest
itself as voices of loved ones speaking to us or music, or we may hear our name
being called. Or we may hear the spirit
whisper to us, “It’s true”. We may even hear an audible voice.
We can experience more than one or
many gifts. As with any of the gifts,
pray for help in deciphering their meaning, to be guided using intuition.
Sharing these experiences with a spouse or friend can help to anchor them in
the physical realm and validate them. If we are drawn to wanting a particular
spiritual gift, but don’t believe we have it, more than likely, we already have
it, and have just forgotten. There are specific things we can do to remember our
gifts. Giving gratitude is extremely
important. “Ye must give thanks unto God in the spirit for which whatsoever
blessing ye are blessed with.”
What are some ways that you have experienced one or more of these gifts?
What are some ways that you have experienced one or more of these gifts?
Invite stillness into everyday life. "Be
still and know that I am". Pray
constantly during everyday activities.
Some people surround themselves continually with noise.
Now, with Ipads & cell phones, it is
possible to never have the sound of silence. Become aware of the "sound of
silence." It is a background for the whispers of the Spirit. There is a definite energy and vibration to
good music, but stillness can be an opening to our gifts. It may begin with listening to the crickets
chirp or birds warble. Or the sound of a
waterfall or babbling brook. Being out
in Nature can facilitate our gifts, as can meditation in sacred places. On a long drive alone, turn off the
radio. If we are still, we may be
surprised who might be our invisible passenger using the stillness for a
teaching moment.
Trust is essential for building our
gifts. When we feel or hear inspiration,
act on it, even though it may not appear to be the logical thing to do. Develop
faith in the process and trust God. Many times we analyze things with our
logical mind and doubt. This will lead
to burying our gifts and not experiencing anything but negative chatter of the
mind.
God
may also reveal His will to us through dreams, visions, the scriptures, and the
words of other people. Often the experience is more than a casual impression,
more vivid, and makes a profound impact. But again, it is always good to check
with God. “Is this revelation from you? Is this truth?” And then we must forge
ahead and believe. The conscious mind is
the mind of the body. To gain mastery over the body, one must learn to listen
to that still, small voice, even when it is in direct opposition to the thoughts
of the conscious mind.
Personal Learning and Application
Keep
a journal of your thoughts, feelings, insights, and plans to implement what you
learn. As the needs and circumstances in your life change, repeating these
answers will provide you with new insights.
Go back to the questions in the chapter.
Write your answers. Each time you
go through a chapter, your answers might change.
1. How do you receive personal revelation? What
does it feel like? How does it come?
2. What things distract you or hinder your
ability to receive revelation?
3. What actions will you take to help you obtain
revelation
4. What promptings have you received from the
Holy Ghost? How will you act on them?
If the Holy
Ghost gives us information, how can that provide peace?
5.
Try this. Have a pencil and paper
to write the answers as they come. Perhaps even write questions beforehand so
they can be read to the Lord while praying. Closing the eyes and kneeling are
not always necessary. Try sitting down on the ground to get comfortable. As
answers come, write them down. Perhaps, spend more time pondering than speaking
the prayer. The Lord will often present visions in the mind as our ponderous
thoughts focus on the topic
6.
When is the ideal time to have a "conversation" with God?
7. What are some barriers that can arise between
you and your Higher Power?
8. Practice noticing more using the five
senses. How does the air smell? What
sounds do I hear? What textures can I touch?
What animals show up?
Write about what you notice.
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