Spiritual gifts and individualism

[nicolasconnault]

I've just been reflecting on the frequent complaint by some LDS that they struggle to receive personal revelation, and many of them feel guilty about it. There seems to be a cultural expectation that every member of the Church should be proficient at receiving them and at being guided by the Spirit, but the reality is that many rarely feel prompted, or if they do they fail to recognise it.

Then I came across a quote by Joseph Smith regarding spiritual gifts, in which he was asking "Do all members prophesy? Do all heal? Do all interpret?", with the obvious meaning that some members do while others do not. We know that each of us has one spiritual gift (at least), but that it may take a while to discover it. Discerning heavenly communications is, in my opinion, one such spiritual gift, and I think that some members have it while others do not.

I also think that individualism in our culture has led us (me at least) to expect that every member of the Church ought to be good at most of these spiritual gifts: most should prophesy, heal, have faith, have wisdom etc. I am now realising that this expectation is not warranted. The scriptures teach us that we all have a part to play in the Kingdom, that some of us will be strong at certain things and weak at others. The brother of Jared seemed to struggle with receiving answers from God and relied on his brother. Paul taught the wonderful analogy of the human body, wherein some small members appear less useful than others, but all are important and make up the glorious thing that is the human body.

So, my conclusion is that if you are LDS and you struggle to receive personal revelation, it may simply be because that is not your spiritual gift, and you may need to rely more on others for that. That may include occasionally asking your spouse, your bishop or some other person with a stewardship over you to guide you in making inspired decisions. More importantly, you shouldn't feel guilty about it, or believe that the heavens are closed to you because of sin. It may simply be that the Lord wants you to learn to be more interdependent, more united with others and more humble.

What do you think?

[CV75]

What do you think?

John 11: 4, "When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby."

John 9: 3, "Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him."

So it is with any deficit (real or imagined), whether spiritual or temporal.

[LDS Guy 1986]

I've just been reflecting on the frequent complaint by some LDS that they struggle to receive personal revelation, and many of them feel guilty about it. There seems to be a cultural expectation that every member of the Church should be proficient at receiving them and at being guided by the Spirit, but the reality is that many rarely feel prompted, or if they do they fail to recognise it.

Then I came across a quote by Joseph Smith regarding spiritual gifts, in which he was asking "Do all members prophesy? Do all heal? Do all interpret?", with the obvious meaning that some members do while others do not. We know that each of us has one spiritual gift (at least), but that it may take a while to discover it. Discerning heavenly communications is, in my opinion, one such spiritual gift, and I think that some members have it while others do not.

I also think that individualism in our culture has led us (me at least) to expect that every member of the Church ought to be good at most of these spiritual gifts: most should prophesy, heal, have faith, have wisdom etc. I am now realising that this expectation is not warranted. The scriptures teach us that we all have a part to play in the Kingdom, that some of us will be strong at certain things and weak at others. The brother of Jared seemed to struggle with receiving answers from God and relied on his brother. Paul taught the wonderful analogy of the human body, wherein some small members appear less useful than others, but all are important and make up the glorious thing that is the human body.

So, my conclusion is that if you are LDS and you struggle to receive personal revelation, it may simply be because that is not your spiritual gift, and you may need to rely more on others for that. That may include occasionally asking your spouse, your bishop or some other person with a stewardship over you to guide you in making inspired decisions. More importantly, you shouldn't feel guilty about it, or believe that the heavens are closed to you because of sin. It may simply be that the Lord wants you to learn to be more interdependent, more united with others and more humble.

What do you think?

I agree, Joseph Smith was not the only prophet to teach of this the Apostle Paul taught as well that not every person has every spiritual gift.

I believe that this is done on purpose, God give us each gifts because he want's to teach us to rely and depend on each other. If we have all the gifts we can become proud and think we have this power when we do not. By never giving almost no one all the gifts God helps us keep humble by realizing that we need each other to progress!