“…and the true meaning and intention of their more mysterious passages revealed unto us in a manner which we never could attain to previously, nor ever before had thought of.” – JSH 1:74
I can give you all the scripture study tips in the world, but they don’t hold a candle to this one.
It’s great to review context before reading.
It’s great to have a pen ready to go.
It’s great to make connections and write down notes.
But having the Spirit with me when I study the scriptures opens my eyes to what I need to know.
It is essential.
The Spirit enacts my individualized learning plan with exactness, showing me what is essential for my progression.
That sounds pretty awesome to me. I want this to happen as much as possible.
So… how do we invite the Spirit to join us in our scripture study?
Here’s what I’ve learned:
When I say a prayer to get started and invite the Spirit,
When I stop reading and just ponder for a bit,
When I reflect at the end of my reading,
And when I read my scriptures with real emotion and intent, searching desperately for the answers that I need,
THAT is when I have learned that the Spirit guides me along so personally.
But Elaine Dalton also said something when I got to interview her recently that has stuck with me:
If we are living a righteous life, then we have the Spirit’s companionship all the time.
And we need to pay attention much more closely to when and how we LOSE the Spirit’s presence.
So I think it’s just as important to take a moment to reflect on what habits I have that lead the Spirit away when I go to study the scriptures.
What might I be doing to drive the Spirit away prior to reading?
And when I reflect on these questions, I get a clearer picture of what I need to be doing in order to invite a member of the Godhead to accompany my scripture study each and every time.
Happy Studying!
–Cali Black
2 Responses
I have been listening to Don’t Miss this and Scripture Gems and Book of Mormon Central for the past year. Now I am falling in love with your materials. Are you related to someone in Oregon? I am catching up with your podcasts. I do have your email coming to me.
I love how enthusiastic you are and how you can pick out powerful Gems so concisely. I will continue to follow you on Instagram as well.
Glad that you’ve found my materials. There are so many great studying materials out there, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to reach so many people. I’m not related to anyone in Oregon, but I love that area. It’s so beautiful.