by Terri Wagner
As Gospel Doctrine teacher, I have the privilege of learning a doctrinal lesson every week. There's nothing like having to teach to make you study. This last Sunday's lesson was on Elijah. I felt that the focus for the class should be on waiting out the whirlwind, the earthquake and the fire for the still small voice.
As I prepared my lesson, I felt the Spirit testifying to me about the importance of the whirlwind, the earthquake and the fire. Today we could liken them to diva drama (guys have this too, they just don't like to admit it), the emotionally charged moment and moral confusion.
In pondering the significance of this lesson both to Elijah and to us, I thought about an experience I had years ago with a close friend. We were writing a story and she wanted a certain type of love scene which the plot seem to call for while I was uncomfortable with it. We struggled to find a solution. It ended with a plot change that drained all our enthusiam for the story.
I've read this blog for years and the same moral confusion seems to rise up. Perhaps we should wait out the whirlwind, the earthquake and the fire to hear the still small voice that will surely guide us to the best option.
The message of the Elijah also seemed to include waiting for the best not settling for less.
Terri, I wish I could be in your Sunday school class! I have been neglecting those lessons lately since i am in the family history class. I am definitely going to take the time to study the message of Elijah.
ReplyDeleteand you are right. If you really want to learn something, find a chance to teach it!
Ha! I gave that lesson too! To a very tired group of fifteen year olds... yes, fun.
ReplyDeleteAnyways, about halfway through my current WIP I realized that the theme really was this girls ability, as a new convert to hear that small voice even when other voices were screaming for her to take a different path. I've learned a LOT while writing this book.
I like the parallels you draw between Elijah and now. I like how you say don't settle. This helps define a way to sort through the confusion.
ReplyDeleteWaiting out the whirlwind, the earthquake, and the fire is not easy; in fact it is guaranteed to bring hard times. But, you are right; God's Holy Spirit will be there for us.
ReplyDelete