Discern

What would be more wonderful than to be able to know what is truth!

In American politics 2019 it is almost impossible. We have learned how easy it is for truth to be distorted.

Paul warned us in his second letter to Timothy as he described the conditions that would exist in the latter days.  He concluded by saying men would be: (Timothy 3:7) ,"Ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."

To live today is to know that feeling.

But as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints we have been taught that there is a way. In Moroni 10 :4-5 we are taught a process by which we may know if the Book of Mormon is true - that it is indeed the word of God. That process applies to many areas of our lives:

And when you shall receive these things, I would exhort you that if that he would ask God, the eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true. And if you shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost you may know the truth of all things.

Another scripture helps us to understand another way that we can discover truth - or what is right and what is wrong.  It is in D&C 84:44-46.

For you shall live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God. For the word of the Lord is TRUTH and whatsoever is TRUTH is LIGHT, and whatsoever is LIGHT is SPIRIT, even the spirit of Jesus Christ. 

And the spirit giveth light to every man that comes into the world and the spirit enlighteneth every man through the world that harkeneth to the voice of the spirit. 

And everyone that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit cometh unto God, even the Father.

We are human beings given the gift of agency - the right to direct the course of our lives. But Heavenly Father has not abandoned us. He has given us tools to help us find our way through mortality.

The gift of discernment is one of those tools. We have an "inner voice" that knows. We must learn to listen and trust that voice. It often manifests itself through just an uncomfortable feeling - a warning to protect yourself - something is not right.

Sometimes we have big decisions to make so we turn to God in prayer seeking the manifestation promised in Moroni 10. Quiet time with the Lord each day helps us in that process.

In the temple washing and anointing we are blessed with the gift to discern.  As we stay close to the Lord and seek his help, we get better as hearing both our inner voice, the voice of the spirit and the Lord's answers to our prayers.

He wants to help but we are not puppets in His hands. We are His children learning to become like Him.

Hymn 240: Know This That Every Soul is Free

He'll call, persuade, direct aright

And bless with wisdom, love and light.

In nameless ways be good and kind,

But never Force the human mind.

Our task is to listen for these voices that guide us as we exercise our agency while here on the earth.

Have I perfected that process?  Not even close.  I mostly learn from trial and error.  However, I have learned to trust that inner voice, my feelings.  I really do try to take time each day to be quiet and listen.  I believe my testimony is based on those feelings that come from inner voice.  I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ and what we can create when we live those principles! 

I look at the world around me and I see so much chaos.  People's lives are destroyed by all the hate, the lack of principles and ethics, by the immorality that we see every day: murder, lies, mass shootings, the constant corruption that we see in government and in the business world.  It is not hard to recognize the voice of Timothy in the news each day: For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.

It is not hard to discern all that is so corrupt.  I wonder why people choose to live that way. . .