“Wow, what an amazing lesson! Couldn’t you feel the Spirit in that room?”
My roommate asked this question as we left Relief Society one Sunday when I was in college.
I was embarrassed because I hadn’t felt or noticed the Spirit at all!
In fact, I had kind of zoned out the entire lesson.
Has something like this ever happened to you?
Other people are feeling the Spirit, and you aren’t noticing anything special.
Or maybe you’ve been in the opposite position—
Maybe you felt the Spirit during a talk, but the person sitting next to you didn’t.
Or you sent a talk to someone hoping they’d get the same feeling you did, and there’s nothing.
How can this happen?
Paul teaches us the answer:
“For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” (Hebrews 4:2)
We need to be engaged with sincere faith to feel the Spirit!
If we aren’t “spiritually engaged” with our faith, we can’t learn what others learn, even when we listen to the same lessons, podcasts, or talks.
“We cannot grow someone else’s faith or rely solely on others to bolster our own.” Elder Dale G. Renlund
“The word” of truth itself doesn’t hold any ability to pierce our heart.
It’s the Spirit who is ready to testify, impress, or witness to our individual hearts in exactly the way that we need it, and to the exact capacity that we are prepared for.
And just to be clear, we can’t demand the Spirit to do anything.
Sometimes the faith and intent is there, but God knows we need patience or a new perspective or… whatever is aligned with His perfect will.
But besides that caveat, I find this so empowering.
I don’t have to wait for the Spirit to try and break through randomly.
I can bring my own engaged, sincere faith to the table.
During scripture study.
On Sundays.
During temple worship.
In a Primary lesson.
I can use my faith in Jesus Christ to “profit” more from the word of God.
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
