Quiet One-Liners

J.W. Anderson sent the following comment yesterday.  (that reminds me...I really want to have there be some way that comments show down the side and others can comment on others comments.  awkward sentence but you know what I mean.  I'm clueless but someone knows how and I will find them!)  Anyhow I enjoyed what JW said....

If we could all just desire to have a greater out-pouring of the spirit in our lives and then actually "move upon" what he gives us...what a different experience we would have! Our greatest gift....agency. What we fought for! There is such clarity, inspiration, enlightenment and personal revelation at our fingertips. My problem is that I typically have the "volume" of my daily routine turned up so loud, I couldn't feel the spirit (much less hear it) if it were screaming in my face. My goal this year is to turn the "volume" down and create an inviting space for the spirit to be heard. Thank you for your inspiration and example!!

January 3, 2012 3:21 PM 

 In light of what JW said it really made me think of times of personal revelation when there was no doubt of what needed to be done.  Church callings seem to be a time of strong personal revelation and sometimes family needs warrant personal revelation and once in awhile on the spot/fill the gap/please-right now!,  personal revelation comes into play.  Maybe those larger more detailed happenings are easier to not ignore.  Maybe a dream or distinct directives or the likes are easier to recognize.  Those sorts of things insist they be written down and acted upon.  

No doubt about the biggies. 

 

Maybe these quiet one-liners are the key to experiencing more of actually being directed by the Holy Ghost?  A part of experiencing the constant companionship of such?  I'm beginning to think so.  Ummm.  I wish you could tell me your thoughts but you can't.  I have to be more attune to move past the thought and take action.  I do hear the thought.  But...I debate myself out of action or I simply discard and toss aside the very idea that just suddenly popped into my head/heart/feeling.  

 My average this year, on day 3, is 2 strikes and one hit.  2 ignores.  1 action.  The interesting thing to me also is these were not earth shattering little zingers BUT if I had just followed through I would have had more peace, more time and instead of being a bobble head with the attitude after the fact of ...well, if that doesn't beat all!... I could have experienced the good satisfying feeling of moving when prompted.

 Remember the Prophet (who was it?!) that was told...Move the wagon.  now that is a short directive, for sure.  wasn't it 3 times he did that?  but he was spared by that very action.  Maybe major things do come from these short cloud-soft thoughts/feelings/voice.  It has become very important to me to act when prompted. 

How many times have I had, one-time only, reader board moments of thoughts scroll across and never to be seen again!?  except for me mulling over and discarding "she's sick" (or other maladies) or "call______"  "take food"   "go visit"  (etc.), there have been many times I've sabotaged direction by deciding that I know best.  (well, hello prideful one!  Haughty, aren't you?)

So repentance.  again.  

As JW mentioned we need enough quiet within ourselves to be able to hear a breeze.  well, he didn't say that but he did mention being quiet.  and it is like hearing a very soft  gentle breeze- like whisper.  Maybe these are the fleeting thoughts that we've heard about.  Wasn't it a still voice in the Book of Mormon that couldn't be heard until there was a settling of the loudness.  Those layers of loudness had to be discarded to get to the heart of the matter.  The stillness where revelatory ideas, to guide us, to counsel us, to comfort us, to warn us, to direct us, to make life easier and simpler, can be heard in the quietness within ourselves.

Oh, me oh my.  Yes.  This is something worth focusing on.  Hear.  Heed.  Hearken.