Let's talk...revelation

Inspiration. Personal revelation.

A very religious-y topic.

I did not know I had strong opinions on the subject until I heard stories about it that I disagreed with. Does that ever happen to you?

I had the opportunity to write a paper on this topic for a D&C class a few weeks ago (summer term is over!) and that really got me thinking.

*Disclaimer: these are my personal opinions*

I believe that you should not seek personal revelation for most things. I think that as long as you are open and willing to receiving revelation, you should go about with your life making your own decisions unless you get a prompting to do something else. One should not feel they receive revelation from the weather (it was raining so I think I should not do it), other people's actions (that cashier was so nice to me, I take it as a yes to my question), or many other random outside influences that would have happened whether or not you were seeking an answer.

Don't just take my word for it on this topic. Elder Oaks had something to say about revelation during a 1981 BYU devotional. It is a wonderful talk. Go here to read it. Here is one of my favorite paragraphs from it:

"No answer is likely to come to a person who seeks guidance in choosing between two alternatives that are equally acceptable to the Lord. Thus, there are times when we can serve productively in two different fields of labor. Either answer is right. Similarly, the Spirit of the Lord is not likely to give us revelations on matters that are trivial. I once heard a young woman in testimony meeting praise the spirituality of her husband, indicating that he submitted every question to the Lord. She told how he accompanied her shopping and would not even choose between different brands of canned vegetables without making his selection a matter of prayer. That strikes me as improper. I believe the Lord expects us to use the intelligence and experience he has given us to make these kinds of choices."

If you have a big decision to make (who to marry, when to have kids, where to move, what job to accept) and you feel you need help, by all means ask, but it seems to me that many times God gives us back the decision.

So go ahead. Make a decision. A firm decision. Yes or no. Stick with your decision. Stop asking God. (See Martin Harris and the lost 116 pages.)

Seriously, read Elder Oaks' talk. It is amazing.