Rebuking The Elders.

[Avatar4321]

Read this quote about a quote by Joseph. I don't think I had heard it before.

"Joseph, at this time, rebuked the Elders for administering the form without the power. Said he, "Let the Elders either obtain the power of God to heal the sick, or let them cease to administer the form without the power." (Quoted by Joseph Noble, See Juvenile Instructor, 15:112)"

It weighs on my mind a bit. I've given blessings that have had mild success before. I've been healed by the Spirit before. But I don't know that I truly have power with my administrations. It concerns me because I want to be a blessing to others, particularly my family and I'm not sure if there is something I'm doing to keep myself unworthy, or whether I have power to a limited degree, or what the issue is.

Does anyone else struggle with this? And if you've overcome this what did you do?

[CCRW]

It weighs on my mind a bit. I've given blessings that have had mild success before. I've been healed by the Spirit before. But I don't know that I truly have power with my administrations. It concerns me because I want to be a blessing to others, particularly my family and I'm not sure if there is something I'm doing to keep myself unworthy, or whether I have power to a limited degree, or what the issue is.

Does anyone else struggle with this? And if you've overcome this what did you do?

 

I desired a Gift of the Spirit.  I'm not sure if this is a bad thing, I suppose one might be born with it, or pre-ordained to it.  In my case actively seeking worthiness to qualify for it I think was my downfall, rather I was pre-ordained to it or not.  It will drive you crazy, it is not something that you can do, it is not a good path to pursue.  It truly is the burp, fart sneeze, its impossible to do.

 

And yet if all this stuff is actually true, if God desires you to lay hands on someone and heal them, it will be for them and your not being perfect will have no effect at that moment.

 

Many years ago I heard a story of a man whom had the gift of healing.  He lived in a small town up north somewhere like Montana in the early years of the 1900's with little to no medical options available.  There was a need for faith healing, it was all they had.  Generally that is not the case anymore. 

 

Who knows, that caught in some situation of life and death with no medical available your hands and your faith might be called upon with no warning, no fuss and worry about the whole worthiness crap, only what is in your heart at the time of need.

[Avatar4321]

The scriptures say that we are commanded to seek after gifts of the spirit. But I think we need to seek it in humility for.the glory of God.

I fear my pride could be what is keeping me from greater priesthood power.

[Storm Rider]

Priesthood power is the natural response to righteous living.  I think motivation is integral to this process of spiritual refinement.  We are not righteous because we want something, but we choose righteousness because we want to serve our Father in Heaven.  If our motivations are not properly aligned it would be like trying to run your car on watered down gas.  Yes, it runs, but it runs poorly or less efficiently than it was built to run.  

 

We are spiritual beings that have been clothed with physical bodies.  I believe we are fundamental, it is our in our own way of being, to be spiritual.  The challenge is that the overlay of this is the carnality of physical man.  With this physical body there is also the veil that is drawn and purposely blocks the direct contact with our Father.  Part of this allows our ego to run free until such time as we choose to ignore it; we submit to God and to glorify him.  

 

I believe there are certainly those who have a gift of healing, a gift of visions, a gift of prayer, etc.  However, relying on a desire to glorify God we are empowered to seek after all spiritual gifts in humility.  Your point was excellent because we too often begin to see how "good" we are and then our motivation for further development becomes impure.  

 

In my mind I see this concept similar to when one seeks after their Calling of Election as the Bible tells us.  Some will see a direct line "I want my calling of election and there is direct line from what I want to achieving my goal".  This would be the wrong path.  We are eternal beings, we are round; our growth comes by becoming a bigger circle, not by moving in one direction.  This is difficult to explain and I don't think I am doing a good job; forgive me.

 

Let us actively seek to glorify God and all will be well.  I am often reminded of D&C 121:

 

 45 Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.

 46 The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.

Verse 45 clearly directs our heart's desires; what we must seek after.  If we follow this path, not for personal gain, but to glorify God, we will be enabled to stand in his presence with a pure heart and know him as our Father; we will be confident that we are his servant and his sons and daughters.  

[strappinglad]

I have desired a particular gift of the spirit. The problem is, as has been said above, my motivation was not pure. I recognized that there was a part of me that knew that pride would lead to a fall. Unless and until that pridefulness was expunged, I would be unable to gain that gift. No luck so far. This " know thyself " stuff can often get in the way.

[Storm Rider]

What I admire is when one maintains a desire to serve God, to pursue his glory.  In my life I have, like at present, just coasted.  I know that I have a deep understanding of the gospel, but that does not compel me to lengthen my stride or to be engaged in a meaningful manner the pursuit of deeper discipleship.  

 

Pride twists our goals into a detriment to our souls.  I admire those individuals who make efforts to cast it aside.  I worked with a very good man in the temple years ago.  As I interacted with him I observed when others would pay him a compliment, particularly those that were overly done, exaggerated, and certainly those that were insincere, he was deflect it.  He always understood his relationship to God, his current state as a broken man, but one that loved the Lord and he truly sought his glory.  

 

The pursuit of spiritual gifts come as a consequence of other actions, rather than a target line of progress. 

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Bednar says we access enabling power through the Atonement.  He says such power isn't necessarily the power for our burdens to be lifted, but rather for increased capacity to bear them.  He points to the example in the Book of Mormon where Alma's people were persecuted.  They were forbidden to pray aloud.  Their burdens weren't lifted, but their capacity to bear them was increased such that they "did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord" (see Mosiah 24:15).  See Elder Bednar's address at the following link:

 

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2012/04/the-atonement-and-the-journey-of-mortality?lang=eng

 

I think your willingness to ask, "Lord Is It I?", or in other words, "Is there something I can do better?" is probably a good sign that your heart is in the right place:

 

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/lord-is-it-i?lang=eng

 

Now, having said that, we can righteously desire something, we can do everything we, personally, are able to do to bring it about, but, in the end, the Lord grants or withholds particular blessings (whether temporarily or not, or reserves them for the next life) based on what we, personally need from this individually-designed period of testing, trial, and growth we call mortality.  I don't know why the Lord has, as yet, withheld certain blessings from me, or why He so long has withheld others that He now appears ready to grant.  I can only say, with Job, "The Lord giveth, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:18).

 

The only thing of which I am completely certain is that the Lord loves me; He loves us.  That's it.  Everything else, to me, often seems as though it is chaff before the whirlwind.  Whatever blessings appear to have been granted, or seem to have been withheld or denied, through the exercise of Priesthood power, the Lord's will is sovereign.

 

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/04/healing-the-sick?lang=eng

 

 

[JLHPROF]

Read this quote about a quote by Joseph. I don't think I had heard it before.

"Joseph, at this time, rebuked the Elders for administering the form without the power. Said he, "Let the Elders either obtain the power of God to heal the sick, or let them cease to administer the form without the power." (Quoted by Joseph Noble, See Juvenile Instructor, 15:112)"

It weighs on my mind a bit. I've given blessings that have had mild success before. I've been healed by the Spirit before. But I don't know that I truly have power with my administrations. It concerns me because I want to be a blessing to others, particularly my family and I'm not sure if there is something I'm doing to keep myself unworthy, or whether I have power to a limited degree, or what the issue is.

Does anyone else struggle with this? And if you've overcome this what did you do?

 

Great quote - it also reminds me of this:

D&C 20:60 Every elder, priest, teacher, or deacon is to be ordained according to the gifts and callings of God unto him; and he is to be ordained by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is in the one who ordains him.

 

We don't often think that priesthood ordination is a function of the Holy Ghost.  And we know that our nearness to the Holy Ghost comes and goes with our faith and worthiness.  So the connection between faith and healing by priesthood that you refer to is also found in ordaining to the priesthood.

 

Christ taught the same principle as the one you refer to from Joseph.  He rebuked the apostles for a lack of faith in their ministrations and taught them that sometimes fasting must accompany them.  (Matt 17).

 

As I have said on this board many times, my faith is not always as strong as it needs to be to reach God, but when I add fasting to my efforts I notice the veil become much thinner and the responses from the other side much easier to received.

Unfortunately we don't always get enough notice to fast before being asked to give a blessing.  I struggle much as you do.  The thought just occurred to me that perhaps an offering to God that we will offer up a fast after giving the blessing might prove just as effective as the fasting the Savior described.