In learning more about the Holy Spirit over the last while, I have come to understand the difference between the gift of the Holy Spirit and the influence of the Holy Spirit.
All people can be influenced by Holy Spirit at any time. This is what is happening when we hear a voice to do what is right, warning us from danger, giving us wisdom and answers. The Holy Spirit tries to guide us towards God and the things of God. We have all been given the ability to know right from wrong. Of course family and cultural influences can drown out that voice and create layers over our purity and making it difficult to hear that voice, and making bad and wrong things seem right and good. That is what is happening in our world today especially in our culture more and more. It is the Holy Spirit that is always trying to influence people to do good and live righteously. We all have the potential access to this. How we live determines whether or not we will hear and be influenced by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can not dwell where there is darkness and evil, sin, immorality and corruption. The more we live in sin, the less we will feel the influence of the Holy Spirit and the voice of the adversary will become louder and stronger.
The more we live in purity and goodness, the more we will hear and feel the influence of the Holy Spirit.
The influence of the Holy Spirit is very different than the "gift" of the Holy Spirit. The gift of the Holy Spirit truly is a gift we are given when we are baptized by proper Priesthood authority and are then Confirmed a member of Jesus's Church. It is when we are confirmed that we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. That means the Holy Spirit who does not have a body the way Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ does, comes and lives with in us and is our constant companion. I have to admit I have not always taken advantage of this. I forget that I have the Holy Spirit as my constant companion sometimes live almost like I am alone. But this is not true. At our recent Stake Conference there was a lot of emphasis on the Holy Spirit being a Comforter. I have heard this many many times, but not understood it is literal. I have been asking for comfort over the last few days and have felt it in the form of wonderful happiness.
I realized that Heavenly Father gives us this so we do have a way to receive comfort and love when we feel upset, so that we don't then have to act out badly or turn to substances like alcohol, drugs, smoking, sex, pornography, shopping, TV, food etc. We then have someone who can truly comfort us and take away our negative feelings so we are not stuck trying to just escape from them in negative ways. As human beings we do have negative feelings, sometimes we create negative feelings unnecessarily, but there are times when things happen where upset is inevitable. As we do things that are not good, or people do not good things to us, all these things can build up negativity and darkness with in us. There needs to be a healthy, positive way to deal with these feelings, and that is why Heavenly Father gave us the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit gently guides us to do what it is our souls really want. Our souls want to live righteously, in holiness, in purity, in love, kindness, in the light, in gentleness, empowered in true ways. All these experiences, enable our souls to feel the deep beautiful happiness we long for. The influence of the Holy Spirit is always trying to lead all people to the happiness of their souls. Once we have the gift of the Holy Spirit through baptism and confirmation, we then get to have the Holy Spirit living with in us always. How blessed are we that we have such a spirit who is always trying to help us make it back home to be with our Heavenly Father, who is always trying to help protect us, and help us think, speak and act in ways that truly lead us to temporal and eternal happiness. This in itself shows us just how loved by God we are.
Today I do all I can to live in ways that enables me to hear and feel the influence of the Holy Spirit. If I have the gift of the Holy Spirit, I remember this and feel and connect to that presence throughout my day.
No comments:
Post a Comment