God’s Answer:Your Choice.
I was taught as a small child that if you have an important decision to make that you should ask God. He will tell you what to do.
I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Fortunately, I was taught different ways that God could speak to you.
It might be in an idea in your mind. Sometimes it could seem to be an audible voice. It might come from something someone else says, but when you get the answer you will know.
How will you know? The answer, according to those of my faith, is usually described as a burning in your bosom. Which is a pretty accurate description for me..it comes as a feeling that floods from my heart and goes from the top of my head to the tips of my toes and when I feel it, I KNOW I have felt something. I have this feeling when I hear truth. It doesn’t have to be at church or when I am on my knees in prayer or even gospel related…any truth from anywhere can bring on this same sensation for me. I love this quote from the book, The Power of Truth by William George Jordan:
Live with the windows of life open towards the east to catch the first rays of the sunlight of truth no matter from whom it comes.
There was a specific time in my life where I decided I definitely needed divine direction. I was pregnant with my fourth son. I wanted to know if our family was complete and I wanted to know well before my due date. I wanted to know if it was okay if I had the surgeon perform a tubal ligation at the time of my scheduled c-section. It felt a bit greedy to give God a time-line but it would be so much more convenient to know, really know, in time to have the surgery performed at the time of delivery.
I talked with my husband. I prayed. I thought and thought quite a bit. When the answer came, it was not what I had hoped for. The answer clearly came: your choice.
Sometimes I think we use “ask God” as a way out of our own agency; that might sound harsh but I have come to believe in some very key points of our human existence and the first being the paramount truth that our main purpose for being here on earth is to make choices and to learn from them. I do believe that God is there to guide and direct. I do believe that sometimes (but not as often as I used to think…he will tell us if we are really off-track). For the most part, I believe he wants us to study and ponder and decided what it is that we really want.
When we are faced with a choice to make, I believe we should look at it as our opportunity to exercise our God given agency; this in no way means that we don’t ask God or His inspiration or guidance, but I have learned to trust my own understanding (which, to be fair came from God) and really look inside myself for the answers I seek.
I am trying hard to not accept the “I don’t know.” response from myself. I prefer the…”I am figuring it out.” or even “I don’t know, yet.” or “I will know…”. Our brain is the most amazing tool we have and, if given the question, it can and will come up with the answer.
Sometimes it is hard to come up with the answers in our head. At least for me, it helps to talk out my dilemmas and concerns. Call me crazy but I can literally talk in my head, to myself or sometimes even out-loud. If you see me on a trail run…likely there is no one talking to me on my blue tooth, I could just be solving the world’s (or my own) problems all.by.myself. But sometimes I like to ask a coach or a friend or a sister or a parent. All of these options are only used as a sounding board and/or a way to prompt my own thoughts.
I love to help my clients find their life answers. The truth is found in the thoughts. Sometimes we have to linger to find answers. I consider it an honor when I can participate in this process.
Oh…you want to know what my choice was? I have four wonderful sons! My youngest was born in 2000. There was no looking back once I made my choice and God told me I was okay.
Carry on my friends! Your answer is just one truth-filled thought away.
God bless.
xo Kathleen
