Learning Divine Truths

Many people in the world find it hard to understand why people have faith; many people who want to have faith find it difficult to strengthen that faith. One explanation for the difficulty in comprehending divine truths and having faith in them comes in the New Testament:

11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

In these verses we see a main idea repeated: we must understand God through the Spirit of God instead of relying solely on our own intelligence. The Holy Ghost, or the Spirit of God, teaches truth and speaks directly to us if we seek Him and will listen to Him.

It is completely normal to want to understand things all in our own heads, but some questions lie beyond our scientific knowledge, and even outside our mortal understanding, such as: What is an eternity? Where do we come from? Why do we live? Where have our predecessors gone? Are they lost to us forever, or will we meet again someday, somehow? Why do disease, suffering and pain exist? Why was I born to my parents and in my country?

I cannot answer these questions of myself, nor can I fully comprehend the answers that I do have, and yet I can say that I know that God has a plan. How can I know that God has a plan? I have sought Him in prayer and in study, and I try to understand as much as I can. As He is my Father, He understands my limitations and weaknesses, and He sends the Spirit to teach and guide me.

It is by the Spirit that I know, and the Father will send the Spirit to teach all of us if we are willing. The scriptures say that He will tell us in our minds and in our hearts. I remember one person who described the first answer to his prayer as the sweetest orange you could ever eat, with a feeling that permeated his entire being like juice flows from an orange when you bite into it. Others may receive it differently, but I know that God answers prayers for all those who seek with real intent.

I pray that we may all go to our Creator as we seek greater knowledge and understanding. I know that He will teach us line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, until our cup runneth over.