A Time of Revelation

There is a space beteen sleep and wake where I feel new, fresh, and open to the Spirit. It is that magical hour in the morning before I'm fully awake. My mind isn't racing over thoughts for the new day yet. It's perfectly clean and free from clutter--able to accept thoughts the Spirit will give me. It's a great time to listen. It's wonderful time for prayer and reflection.

One morning during that time of reflection, the Spirit whispered to me that I needed to check on my neighbor. I'm her visiting teacher and had already seen her for the month, but I knew I needed to go back. Later in the morning when I got to her house, I found her still in bed with a throbbing headache. Her blood pressure medication wasn't working. I was grateful for the prompting.

During those early morning hours, revelation comes to me in several ways, the same way the Lord talked with the Brother of Jared. (Ether2)

1.         Sometimes He tells me what to do like He did with my sweet neighbor. (Ether 2:20)

2.         On other occasions, He asks me how I will solve my problem. Then He guides me through the process. (Ether 2:23) This happens often when I'm preparing a lesson, a blog post, or a writing project. As I begin work, the Spirit is front and center, helping me.

3.         There have been times I just have to trust in God that He'll care for me. Once in my darkest hour, I had no idea what to do. All I could focus on was getting from one day to the next with no thought or plan in front of me. In that situation, the Lord just asked me to give my will to Him, and He took care of me. (Ether 2:24)

I can differentiate the thoughts that come from the Spirit and the thoughts that belong to me. The Spiritual thoughts are not quite the same as mine. They are more intelligent, concise, and to the point. They have a wisdom about them that I don't have. They have an elegance about them that isn't me.

My own thoughts are the work horse of my writing, but the finesse comes from the Spirit. It is usually there while I am writing. It doesn't happen if I sit back and wait for inspiration to jump into my head. It presents itself while I'm busy. 

I love this quote by Elder Oaks. It fits for me. "We get promptings of the Spirit when we have done everything we can, when we are out in the sun working rather than sitting back in the shade praying for direction on the first step to take." "In His Own Time, In His Own Way," Ensign, 24. 

How does revelation work for you? What are your experiences?

I have a small journal that I write the times I see the hand of God in my life daily. President Eyring's talk, "O Remember, Remember," Ensign, November, 2007 guided me to do this. He said that before he would write in this daily journal, he would ask himself the question, "Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch us or our children or our family today?" As he kept the journal, he said, "I grew more confident that the Holy Ghost can bring all things to our remembrance--even things we did not notice or pay attention to when they happened." Now that I keep this journal I look for revelation in my daily life, and I always find it.

I love this statement by President Monson." I am always humbled and grateful when my Heavenly Father communicates with me through His inspiration. I have learned to recognize it, to trust it, and to follow it. Time and time again I have been the recipient of such inspiration." Thomas S. Monson, "Stand in Holy Places," Ensign, Nov. 2011, 84.

So whether during my early morning meditation or during my busy day, I look for the Spirit to guide me, and am grateful I can always find it.

Look for Christy Monson's books on line or in the book stores today.

Love, Hugs, and Hope When Scary Things Happen

Becoming Free, A Woman's Guide to Internal Strength