This is honestly one of the easiest ways I am able to recognize Heavenly Father’s promptings.
In the back of my mind, I always have the list of things I should be working on: More meaningful prayers, better temple worship, better at fulfilling my calling, ministering more often and with pure intent…
But then something will start to become more pressing in the front of my mind. Recently, it’s been my temple attendance.
It’s not that I choose to focus on this one thing, it just naturally starts to seem more important and I have a greater desire to improve.
It’s also not a bold, one-time prompting. It happens like the light from a sunrise. I just gradually feel that this one thing is what I should focus on right now.
For me, eventually it builds so much that I can’t possibly ignore it. I feel so strongly to take action.
And most of the time, I do.
Jacob is addressing the Nephites. It is clear that he has spoken to them often and been a great spiritual leader.
He is always concerned with speaking to them about what they need to hear, of course!
But he describes this unique weight that has been pressing him to speak more boldly about their specific trials.
It doesn’t sound like Jacob woke up that morning, received a prompting to speak in these heavy topics, and went off to the temple to preach.
Instead, I feel like he describes what I feel so often. Out of all the things that we can do, one thing slowly starts to stand out from the rest. And it builds and grows until we feel pressed with great solemnity to take action.
We feel that strong desire to finally have that conversation with our spouse. To call up that friend. To volunteer. To eliminate the sin or bad habit.
Jacob’s experience is a gentle reminder that we can work on being better at taking action earlier on in that process.
But also a tender but powerful reminder that God will help us to receive the personal revelation we need to work on NOW.
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
