Personal Revelation
This is a hard article to write. These things are private, but I feel prompted to write them anyway. Hopefully these musings will be helpful to someone else.
Personal revelation comes often when we are ready to receive them. In my own experience, I receive revelation after I have studied and prayed about a gospel topic about which I have had questions. Sometimes it comes after praying and considering a personal or family problem. And then it comes at a time when I am in a quiet location and when I am quiet.
Occasionally, revelations come to me to warn me about a situation I may be in or to warn me of danger. Sometimes, they come to me at inconvenient times.
Personal revelation can be persistent and can be hard to ignore even when we don't want to receive it.
Do I hear an audible voice? Sometimes, but it is very quiet and gentle.
Do I have thoughts inserted into my mind? Sometimes, and sometimes immediately after asking for enlightenment. And, sometimes I receive it as I am asking.
Do I see a vision? No, not usually.
Is it always clear? Yes. There is never any doubt.
Revelations never come when I am angry or in a confrontational attitude. For that reason, I don't like to be pushed into such frames of mind.
Sometimes personal revelation comes to me when I least expect it and it surprises me. I don't put myself out as a prophet, because surely I am not. This personal revelation is for me personally and sometimes for my family.
I sometimes will share what I have learned through revelation with others, but not often. I worry, when a situation comes up or when I am asked questions about something about which I have received answers. I worry that the person asking is ready to hear the answer. I worry that my answers might harm the faith of others.
Sometimes when questions are asked of me, I have to decline to answer. In such cases I refer the questioner to seek his/her own personal revelation through study, prayer and fasting. Sometimes questions are asked that I can't answer in the instant environment and I have to decline to answer. Sometimes I have to decline to answer because I don't know the answer myself.
I am not and should not be considered to be anyone special. The things I receive can be received by anyone ready to receive them. I can't see the future, I can't read anyone's mind (and I don't want to anyway). I am not an oracle to which people should look. I'm just an ordinary member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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Personal revelation comes often when we are ready to receive them. In my own experience, I receive revelation after I have studied and prayed about a gospel topic about which I have had questions. Sometimes it comes after praying and considering a personal or family problem. And then it comes at a time when I am in a quiet location and when I am quiet.
Occasionally, revelations come to me to warn me about a situation I may be in or to warn me of danger. Sometimes, they come to me at inconvenient times.
Personal revelation can be persistent and can be hard to ignore even when we don't want to receive it.
Do I hear an audible voice? Sometimes, but it is very quiet and gentle.
Do I have thoughts inserted into my mind? Sometimes, and sometimes immediately after asking for enlightenment. And, sometimes I receive it as I am asking.
Do I see a vision? No, not usually.
Is it always clear? Yes. There is never any doubt.
Revelations never come when I am angry or in a confrontational attitude. For that reason, I don't like to be pushed into such frames of mind.
Sometimes personal revelation comes to me when I least expect it and it surprises me. I don't put myself out as a prophet, because surely I am not. This personal revelation is for me personally and sometimes for my family.
I sometimes will share what I have learned through revelation with others, but not often. I worry, when a situation comes up or when I am asked questions about something about which I have received answers. I worry that the person asking is ready to hear the answer. I worry that my answers might harm the faith of others.
Sometimes when questions are asked of me, I have to decline to answer. In such cases I refer the questioner to seek his/her own personal revelation through study, prayer and fasting. Sometimes questions are asked that I can't answer in the instant environment and I have to decline to answer. Sometimes I have to decline to answer because I don't know the answer myself.
I am not and should not be considered to be anyone special. The things I receive can be received by anyone ready to receive them. I can't see the future, I can't read anyone's mind (and I don't want to anyway). I am not an oracle to which people should look. I'm just an ordinary member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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