This past Sunday in church we spoke about preparing ourselves to better receive [and understand] personal revelation and answer to prayers. The lesson started off slow, because it was a new teacher and smaller crowd, but once we all got to talking I learned so much about myself and my individual dealings with the Lord.
Let me start by saying that I don't think it's easy having, or maybe, rather- maintaining, a relationship with our Heavenly Father. It is easy, however, to take Him for granted and only utilize Him when we need help. Think of the act of praying even... all our Father in Heaven asks is that we pray to Him to communicate not only our needs and desires, but to give thanks as well. Prayer should be an open line of communication, but I can say I am definitely guilty of going weeks sometimes without really opening my heart to the Lord. We get distracted, we are tired before bed, forgetting to give thanks for our blessings, and then in the morning we're up and at 'em and ready to go before we even think to kneel before leaving the house to again, give thanks, but also ask for guidance through each day.
Prayer is a key to receiving revelation for ourselves and our families. But we have to come to the Lord, He is not going to force anything on us. In class we talked about some of the pivotal decisions we make in life; school, marriage, job, where to move, which house to buy, when to start a family, etc. and how much we allow God to have a hand in our decision making...
He is there to guide us if we allow. Sometimes we think it should be as easy as asking God what He wants for us because then we'd know for sure what the right answer is. Bishop pointed out that we are not using enough of our free agency if we go about seeking answers this way. 'Think of our own children,' he prompted, asking if we would want a child who comes to his parents to ask what he should do about every little choice vs. the child we can teach what is right well enough to figure it out for himself and then only perhaps come to his parents asking, 'Do you think I'm making the right choice?'
This was a powerful notion to me because we learn in the scriptures that God wants us to be free beings. He does not want to make our decisions for us or we would have gone the way of the Devils plan for life. Heavenly Father wants only what any parent wants, which is not to run their child's life, but to be a part of it. To be a point of navigation, which we can turn to, a tride and true compass that will not tell us how to get over the mountains in life, but give us a nudge in the right direction when we are willing to open it and take a look at which direction the needle is pointing.
Prayer isn't easy and understanding answers to our prayers may not always be easy either. In prayer, when asking for guidance we cannot just say "Which is it?" "God, do I marry Tim or Bill?" Both may be perfectly suitable partners, both may provide for you in the ways you need and both may even be pleasing to the Lord, but YOU have to make the decision. Your life may be so happy with either person, but one is most right for you and that is for you to decide. So often we look at life this way though, with the question, 'this one or that one?' Or maybe we don't even do that much work and we only say, 'this one okay?'
I have learned the importance of doing the footwork ourselves and then coming to God with questions. Jordan and I have very recently started looking for houses here in Utah and there are many choices out there. Some large, some small, some old, some new, some less expensive and some more... Each has a roof and four walls, running water and would make a suitable place to raise our family. We have had to visit these houses and make a list of the things we've liked and disliked about each, we've thought carefully about what we really need vs. features we may just want. We've made a budget that we wont exceed [no matter how beautiful the house-- and there have been some beauts!] and we've talked each one over with one another trying to decide if it's the house for us. I mention this because, you see-- we could have just seen one house and then asked God, 'is this it?' but I don't believe He cares where we live. Whether it's in the city or suburbs, whether it be a one or two story, lavish bathrooms or not. Any house will make a home so long as we allow the Spirit to reside with us and build our family there on the morals we believe. Any home will do as long as we kiss our baby boy before bed every night, make up after every fight and invite friends and family to share our lives with us there.
So, is He going to make the decision for us? Will a sign be given to us which house to choose if we've not given careful thought and consideration in our own decision making? No. I don't believe so. We have to do the foot work and come to God with OUR decision, asking not, dopey-eyed, "What do we do?" but instead asking, "Is this right for us?" or even, "Is this best for us?" Once we've given thought in making the decision we believe is right we should ask only for confirmation.
God gives us the tools to do things on our own. That is why He sent us here to earth to live and be tried. He is a father and a teacher, he will not learn the lessons for us, but will give us knowledge enough to find the answers which are not just given.
I know that He loves us and is there for us through constant communication. And that through prayer we can seek revelation to receive confirmation that our choices are right. Like any parent-- He wants what is best for us, but has to let us stand or fall on our own, for some of us will never learn until we finally touch the oven burner and see for ourselves just how hot it really is!
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