Editor’s note: The following is an excerpt from Dale G. Renlund’s new book, Learning to Listen: Principles for Personal Revelation.
An advanced skill in using a stethoscope is refraining from guessing or overinterpreting a physical finding. A similar advanced skill in personal revelation is needed so we do not overinterpret spiritual impressions or feelings. For example, on one occasion, when I was an Area Seventy, I was assigned with a General Authority Seventy to reorganize a stake presidency. We interviewed many wonderful individuals, sought heaven’s help, and came to a unity of feeling as to who the new stake president should be. We met with him and his wife and felt a confirming witness that he should be called. The reorganization took place the next day.
A week later, a man from the stake who we had interviewed contacted me. He indicated that he was distraught because he had felt that he had been inspired to know that he was going to be the new stake president. When that did not happen, his confidence in his ability to receive and understand personal revelation was shaken.
Here was a wonderfully faithful man who was qualified to have been the stake president but was not called. He had been one of those my companion and I had discussed in detail. As I sorted through my thoughts, I concluded there were a few possibilities explaining this situation. One, the man had completely fabricated the spiritual impression. This seemed unlikely because of his experience over decades with personal revelation. Second, my companion and I got it wrong; the man’s inspired thought was right, and we got it wrong. On reflection, I knew that was not correct. I knew we had called the individual the Lord wanted to call. That witness was repeatedly given to me throughout the weekend. In addition, extending the calling as a stake president was within my companion’s and my purview and prerogative, not this man’s.
The third possibility, and the most likely, was that the man had received a spiritual impression but had misinterpreted or overinterpreted it. The spiritual impression could have been from the Holy Ghost informing him that he stood approved before God, that he was loved, and that he was trusted. If a call came, he would be supported in that calling. If this were the meaning of his inspired thought, then he had great reason to rejoice. I shared these thoughts with him, and it seemed to clarify for him the feelings he had experienced.
Although this experience occurred in the context of a Church responsibility, overinterpreting or misinterpreting spiritual feelings and impressions can likewise be a pitfall for personal revelation. To avoid this challenge, seek to ensure that your impression is within the framework for revelation and is in harmony with other gospel principles, such as agency and stewardship.
Revelation can be a delicate thing. Sometimes we are told to take the next step, but we interpret the prompting as if we’ve been told to embark on the whole journey. Perhaps we need to take a step first and then it will become clear what we need to do next. Revelation comes line upon line, precept upon precept. If we get an initial thought and we overinterpret it, we may jump too far ahead of what God really intended.
A young single adult, for example, may be spiritually prompted to seek an opportunity to get to know someone of the opposite sex. In that situation, the revelation means no more than that. If an individual overinterprets the prompting and feels that God has directed that they will marry this individual, he or she is making a mistake. The prompting is overinterpreted. Take it one step at a time, and be aware that course corrections may come.
Recognize how revelation works
More articles for you:
▶ Elder Renlund’s 3 suggestions for when you feel weary in well-doing
▶ The question to ask yourself when it feels like God withholds an answer
▶ A 2-word mantra to help you recognize personal revelation more often