Sunday, February 12, 2017

D&C 11:13 -- On Joy and Enlightenment

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy;"
Doctrine and Covenants 11:13


This is a great reminder that one of the things that the Holy Ghost can do for us is fill our souls with joy. :)  That seems like a pretty awesome reason to work harder in our lives to keep the Spirit with us.

Having the Spirit with us doesn't mean, of course, that bad or sad things will never happen.  I think what it truly means is that we will be able to see the joy, and focus on the good, even when we are sad, and even when there is evil around us.  Even funerals aren't all sad when the Spirit whispers to us, reassuring us that there is life beyond the grave.  Political machinations and disagreements don't have to consume our lives if, with the assistance of the Holy Ghost, we look for the good in the world, and how to help and uplift our neighbors.  The enlightening the mind part can probably help with that too, if we need some ideas. :)

Today, let's work on keeping the Spirit with us, so that we can feel that pure, amazing joy that comes from God.  Let's let it enlighten our minds and help us find better ways to deal with challenges, and kinder ways to interact with others.  Let's stick with God.  His plan of happiness is sure, even when things seem dark.

1 comment:

  1. Your post reiterates things I have been pondering a lot, namely the importance of striving to always have the Spirit to be with us. That is the promise we are reminded of each time we take the Sacrament. As we renew our covenants, being willing to take Christ's name upon us and always remember Him and keep His commandments, God assures us that He will send His Spirit to be with us.

    Our closing hymn yesterday was #143 Let the Holy Spirit Guide.
    1. Let the Holy Spirit guide;
    Let him teach us what is true.
    He will testify of Christ,
    Light our minds with heaven's view.
    2. Let the Holy Spirit guard;
    Let his whisper govern choice.
    He will lead us safely home
    If we listen to his voice.
    3. Let the Spirit heal our hearts
    Thru his quiet, gentle pow'r.
    May we purify our lives
    To receive him hour by hour.

    The words hit me deeply this time with their beautiful promises of light, safety, and healing.

    Thank you for your post today and everyday!

    ReplyDelete

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