- This topic is empty.
-
Posts
-
Just thought I should post something from our Stake Conference this spring that I came across again tonight: Quote:“It takes courage and commitment to follow the promptings of the Spirit because they may frighten us as they lead us to walk along new paths, sometimes paths that no one has walked before . . .” (F. Enzio Busche – quoted by a member of the Stake Presidency)
What frightens me is what is going to happen. Most of the time people believe God will lead them to something good in their life. I’ve followed it at times and have been totally blindsided with suffering and gnashing of teeth because I followed the prompting….so, I always wonder what lies ahead when I feel a prompting, whether the condemnation from ignoring it is going to be worse than the possible consequences if I follow it. Sometimes, absolutely nothing happens from the prompting, however, and occasionally, good things.
Often the results are unknown to us…fulfilling some purpose we can’t see.
SilentDawning wrote:
Sometimes, absolutely nothing happens from the prompting, however, and occasionally, good things.There have been few times I’ve felt prompted. Going on a mission has left me with a lifetime of guilt and regrets and the marriage to my first wife left me with divorce and 2 estranged daughters. I don’t think the Spirit led me astray. It just pointed to an open door and the rest was up to me.
As regards the quote from Elder Busche, that needs to be interpreted in light of his life since becoming emeritus.
Amen, GB – in both regards. I am unfamiliar with Elder Busche’s history. Context? I would feel that after two decades of discipleship (after the age of 
that I have had some experience with following the Spirit down new paths. For instance, I have had the moment of truth, or an epiphany or two that has brought me to some realization that I must pursue a certain course. However, the natural man within me on at least two occasions thwarted what I thought I spiritually thought I was to do. I think my agency and how I interpret spiritual promptings sometimes screws up the process. I believe I enter into a rational dialog with the promptings and at times rationalize myself out of them, but then sometimes I will rationalize myself into them. I had a prompting to attend the Y, and I did not. Yet, after attending another school for four years, I had a prompting to finish a MA program at the same school. However, I bombed a pretty hefty interview for a state department job, and then gave up a great interview opportunity somewhere else because I thought I was supposed to serve my fellow man; Religious zeal sure screws up life sometimes. Perhaps it is happening to me again. I feel that my job/career is slipping. I have tendencies to think and go down different paths that are well intentioned, but now I feel like my career is taking the back burner. I don’t feel satisfied in my career, but I also don’t feel supported in it either. I have had promptings to do something else, but I am afraid of losing my money and benefits. But, does doing what I want to do selfish-but then I feel it is in alignment with what the spirit is telling me. However, I feel I am obligated to support my family, but I feel that I am supposed to embark on a different path. I hate being in these either/or situations. Perhaps I need professional help. Please advise out there if you have been in a similar situation. This whole scenario is affecting my relationship with my wife. I feel that similar issues became external forces that weakened my first marriage (I didn’t have a supported wife in the path I was supposed to go), and then I was just that much further off course. I just feel that I am out of spiritual alignment again. I made goals, but I am still not satisfied with my situation. Nevertheless, part of me is just happy to have a job and have an income after being a year out of work.Having precious little experience with the Spirit, I’d offer a some advice for what it’s worth. There’s almost no decision you’ll make that won’t affect someone else. Having been in the position once of being told, “do what you want but you’ll do it without me and the kids”, you don’t want to put yourself in that position. If the Spirit is telling you to do something, he’s likely to share that with others involved. Good luck. Quote:If the Spirit is telling you to do something, he’s likely to share that with others involved.
Amen – which is one of the reasons I like the council model so much for groups. I don’t like committee decision making, necessarily, in all instances – but I like counciling. There is an important difference.
In the case of spouses, I absolutely agree that one spouse should not dictate to the other. After all, those two are supposed to be one – so, theoretically, 1/2 shouldn’t be making major decisions for the whole.
I wish I would have read this post before I accepted a new calling. i think I may have accepted it prematurely. I felt good about it, but I should have shared it with my wife first (now I don’t know If she is supportive), yet she didn’t share her call with me after she accepted it (I would have opposed it). I already discussed with my wife what I thought the bishop was gonna call me to. We discussed the possibilities and we were correct. So, I did do an advance screen of the possible callings and she felt okay with them so I didn’t consult with her because of our previous discussion. I though she wanted a man that would accept callings. I did realize that there are things I dislike about the call, but we are planning on moving in 5 months anyway, so I pretty much didn’t care (I was actually getting quite bored with church) and perhaps this calling will keep me motivated. Follow the spirit? Being the resident cynic yes follow the spirit if think that is OK but you can also flip a coin. It seems the results people get are about the same. Again I can no longer accept cryptic and vague feelings to base major decisions on. It just has proven to disastrous for me. Unless losing my faith was what was suppose to happen, but who knows for sure. I have become of the opinion as of late that if God truly wants to tell me something he knows where I am and I would be totally willing to sit down and talk with him anytime face to face, no pretense no vague whisperings, no maybe this maybe that type of direction. Short of that I believe he wants me to be on my own and figure things out the best I can. I can see no other rational explanation for my experiences. Fwiw, the reason I posted this originally was because of the idea that God can lead us down paths that are unique to us. Are we not all being led to some degree down a different path. I think that is evident by the fact we post here. Cadence wrote:Are we not all being led to some degree down a different path. I think that is evident by the fact we post here.
Cadence, a while ago you made this excellent point … it seems many of us have found this forum because we are being led down a different path … I can’t speak for others, because maybe others don’t feel led. But I certainly have felt led, and have struggled when others are telling me I’m not headed toward a good path.It seems if the path is not the typical mainstream mormon path, it is mostly viewed by others as a dangerous path or flat out wrong.
Yet, if I’m seeking the Spirit to guide me, how can I be wrong? Perhaps “right or wrong” is the inappropriate measure, it is just new, and with it come new learnings??
I have also had to let go of worrying too much about what others think of me and my path. Sometimes new paths are lonely paths.
Quote:I have also had to let go of worrying too much about what others think of me and my path. Sometimes new paths are lonely paths.
One of my favorite quotes of all time is a well-known one:
Quote:Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. (-Robert Frost, quoted by memory, so if it’s off a bit, it’s my fault.)
This is a great thread. For those of you who have read my intro and other posts, you know the unusual paths the Spirit has guided me. I mean how weird is it to hear in the middle of a fast and testimony meeting, “Why don’t you go visit the 7th Day Adventist church, down the street.” I learned important and necessary things there. Now, again I felt led to the Nazerene church and a couple of other churches. In the Nazerene church I made a powerful connection with a young woman. She is 45 and her mom had recently died. I reminded her of her mom and she needed nuturing. It was such a shock to her when she saw I drove the exact same car and color as her mom drove. She had been sexually abused by her brother, just like my sister had by my older brother. She and my sister met while my sister was visiting me here last year and really consoled each other. I had connected with Christ Community Church when I first moved here because of a “Wounded Heart” program they had for sexually abused women. I do makeovers and free haircuts for battered women and offered them my services. I told the young woman from the Nazerene church about the “Wounded Heart’ group and took her to a few of their meetings. She told me this group has been such a godsent to her and thanks me over and over. She NEVER gets in any one’s car because of her abuse but did in mine because she felt safe and it looked like her mom’s car. This morning I attended the Christ CC women’s Bible study class. It was fantastic. What a group of sharp women. Educated, intellilgent spiritual women who use the Bible to discuss life problems and pray for each other. The spirit is so strong there and I felt envigorated when I left. I had always thought that the lds church was the only one with the Spirit. I now realize God works through all good people in all churches. I have been chastened by my brother and his wife for leaving the lds church and what a dangerous path I am on. I was told that I had lost the spirit. We’ll, what can I say? My path may seem strange and wrong to others but it felt right to me and only good has come from it so far. How can a God condemn me for having doubts and searching to find answers. Sometimes, we have to get to a destination through round about paths. I think, we on this group, are amazing people because it takes alot of strength and courage to think for yourself and sometimes go off the beaten path. I am sure that Abraham, and Job were told by their friends and families how God would never tell them to do what they did (Abraham to kill your only son). Who is anyone to judge what God tells a person to do.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.