A few years ago I was traveling down a long, straight stretch of highway. Off to the east was a small but ominous storm. The clouds were dark and I could see the heavy rain coming down. I thought to myself that there was no way anyone caught in that storm could see far enough to know that sunshine surrounded that isolated patch of darkness. I then thought about how life can be this way as well. So often when we’re in the midst of a storm, the clouds and rain block our view of the sunshine that surrounds us.
It was kind of a cool metaphor, but nothing extraordinary really. I don’t know that I’m going to win any prize for that amazing analogy, and yet that quick thought has stuck with me for years.
Joseph Fielding Smith Jr. said, “When a man has the manifestation from the Holy Ghost, it leaves an indelible impression on his soul, one that is not easily erased. It is Spirit speaking to spirit, and it comes with convincing force” (Answers to Gospel Questions, comp. Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., 5 vols. [1957–66], 2:151).
I may have understood something more about “life’s storms” that day, but I also learned a little something about how the Spirit of the Lord speaks to me. It was just a passing thought, but it was accompanied by a spiritual witness that both magnified and intensified the idea. A simple metaphor left an indelible impression on my soul and the lesson learned has stayed with me.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.