Q & A Session about God

So, lately I have been in deep contemplation about how God is involved in the lives of his children. My initial question that has intrigued me  is: How do I know God is intervening in my life, rather than life just happening? Henry Eyring, a prominent mormon church leader, offers a similar question for us to ponder each day and to keep a record of evidences that we see in our lives. His question is: "Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch me or my family today?" I have been stumped by this temporarily because I was caught up in the idea that because I cannot visually see his hand, or audibly hear his answers to prayers, that maybe they just don't happen quite as often as it is assumed to be by most mormons, due to a mormon custom?  It is all too common to hear others say something like, " God is just trying to teach me a lesson," or "I am so thankful for God's hand in my life." 

I don't pretend to know all of the answers.  When there's a question that causes me to ponder frequently, I have found that writing the thoughts that I have, help me sift through my thoughts to gain more clarity about the answer to the question. 

There are a few more quotes that I like from  Henry Eyring that help to clarify how it is possible to know how God intervenes in our lives. He talks about the importance of remembering the times that we have felt the Holy Ghost bearing witness of God. He says, " It won't be easy to remember. Living as we do with a veil over our eyes, we cannot remember what is was like to be with God...nor can we see with our physical eyes or with reason alone the hand of God in our lives.  Seeing such things take the Holy Ghost. And it is not easy to be worthy of the Holy Ghost's companionship in a wicked world." He talks about how we must not forget about God, but acknowledges ways that we tend to forget God easily. "Sadly, prosperity is not the only reason people forget God. It can also be hard to remember Him when our lives go badly. When we struggle, as so many do, in grinding poverty or when our enemies prevail against us or when sickness is not healed, the enemy of our souls can send his evil message that there is no God or that if He exists He does not care about us. Then it can be hard for the Holy Ghost to bring to our remembrance the lifetime of blessings the Lord has given us from our infancy and in the midst of our distress."

 

The important thing that I have learned from pondering this question, and being somewhat stumped, is that having questions is not a bad thing, if it is asked with humility and with a desire to gain further knowledge and understanding.  Sometimes questions can be dangerous if we do not seek to find truth by praying and searching the brethren first.  I have sought for answers to the question about God's intervention by asking friends first and relying on my own wisdom to understand, but was failing to in my own efforts.  I didn't get a solid answer until I had prayed and searched the words of inspired prophets. 

Eyring finally suggests some information that will help us to remember and to have the Holy Ghost with us to bring to remembrance the hand of God in our lives. "The key to the remembering that brings and maintains testimony is receiving the Holy Ghost as a companion. It is the Holy Ghost who helps us see what God has done for us. It is the Holy Ghost who can help those we serve to see what God has done for them.

Heavenly Father has given a simple pattern for us to receive the Holy Ghost not once but continually in the tumult of our daily lives. The pattern is repeated in the sacramental prayer: We promise that we will always remember the Savior. We promise to take His name upon us. We promise to keep His commandments. And we are promised that if we do that, we will have His Spirit to be with us.6 Those promises work together in a wonderful way to strengthen our testimonies and in time, through the Atonement, to change our natures as we keep our part of the promise."

Once again, when questions arise, the pattern of searching for truth by praying and reading what prophets have said about it, help to establish more clarity and provide further understanding. Having the Holy Ghost will help me to know and recognize the hand of God in my life.