I have often thought about writing a blog(I started this in
August 2013), but then I realized that these are just my words and that is not
what we should want. What worth is my opinion? Not much. Nevertheless, in this
one case that I will detail below, I believe I was asked to write about it on
this blog. I don’t know if there is more in the future, but I imagine there
will be.
I had read Daniel Roger’s testimony on his Second Comforter
experience in December and it had a lasting impact on me. There are several
lightning rods in it. I detail one below.
Here is the line that struck me
“I have also learned that if Angels have not
come to you, then it is because of some unbelief that you are holding onto. Unbelief is more than not believing, it also
includes belief in errors or incorrect belief.
You may not even be aware of what it is. You may think it is truth
when it is not.”
Wow. Powerful.
The concept of unbelief is very powerful. It is believing in
things that are false. We can be profoundly dedicated to a belief, but if it is
false, it will not produce desired results. Our unbelief is like blind spots.
We don’t know that we have them. They have to be shown to us. The first step is
to realize that we have them. I have not seen angels, yet, so I must conclude I
have unbelief. I desire this fervently.
Daniel gives us some good advice.
“Ask the
Lord to show you what unbelief you have. If you ask with a sincere heart,
He will answer you.”
I decided to do this. When I asked the Lord to show me my
unbelief in December, He gave me a simple, but unexpected answer. I expected a
big show. The answer I received was to search the scriptures. He would reveal
my unbelief via the scriptures. The fervency faded after a short while. I was
rereading Daniel’s testimony on Monday night with my wife and the same things
impacted me. As I drove to work on Tuesday morning I offered a fervent prayer
to the Lord to show me my unbelief and again the same answer. I don’t know why
I expected a different one. I believe this was added to the answer.
“That
is the purpose unto which they were given.”
I have been praying for angels to come to me, knowing that
this was the most probable path to receive the Second Comforter. All of this is
probably an answer to that prayer.
Just as I reached my car after work, the following thought
came to me. This is the spirit of the message as I remember it. “You know Gary,
if the Lord told you that the answer to your unbelief was searching the
scriptures, you might try asking Him where in the scriptures that unbelief
might be revealed.” Wow. Lightning bolt.
I pondered on this as I drove home. I intended to lay out my
scriptures in front of me and ask. The answer came very differently. My son had
an orchestra concert at his future junior high school. The gym was absolutely
packed with over 100 orchestra students from several schools and their parents
and siblings. Lots of noise was present. Somewhere in the process of returning
to the gym after keeping an eye on my restless seven and four year old boys, I
received clearly in my mind Moroni 7. I was taken aback. I quickly asked if
that was the chapter. It was confirmed. Then something unusual happened that I
didn’t put together until later that evening. I was leaning against the stage
and I suddenly received this feeling of charity for everyone in the gym. It
didn’t knock me off my feet, but it was substantial. I looked at the whole
crowd and then several individuals one by one as I felt this moment of charity
for them.
Later that evening as I read the chapter, I saw 100 times
more in it than I ever previously had seen. Some of it I will detail below.
I had received my answer in the most marvelous ways. We tend
to think that God answers prayers in one way. This is not true. He can and does
answer prayers in an unlimited myriad of ways. Ponder the many forms of plant
life on this planet. His answers are as perfect and diverse. When He organizes
events to form an answer, it leaves an unmistakable knowledge that indeed He
has answered. He is the Master. I don’t know how he can organize events, but he
does. I worship Him. Glory to Him and only to Him.
I had had an indication of my lack of charity, but now it is
solidly crystalized in my mind. The Lord
in His mercy has shown me this and that obviously He desires me to seek from
Him an increase in it.
In the description of charity there are 13 items listed.
There is lots of positive symbolism with the number 13. We have 12 apostles
plus Christ. The devil has twisted it as he does everything that he can.
1. Suffereth long
3. Envieth not
4. Not puffed up
5. Seeketh not her own
6. Is not easily provoked
7. Thinketh no evil
8. Rejoiceth not in iniquity
9. Rejoiceth in the truth
10. Beareth all things
11. Believeth all things
12. Hopeth all things
13. Endureth all things
Many things to ponder here. What is the meaning in the
order? Where do I break each one of these and how do I fix it?
Anyway, the importance of this message is the process I went
through to have my unbelief revealed to me, not my particular unbelief.
