I’ve always been an introspective soul. I write in my journal often, I analyze everything, and I love to spend my free time pondering.
I was thinking about this one day (naturally) and reflected on how this side of my personality has been a blessing. Though it comes with drawbacks, it’s also helped me develop close friendships, a strong sense of self, and a deep spirituality.
Then a thought came to me: my introspection has often been a means of receiving revelation. This was followed by a life-changing realization that God speaks to me through who I am.
I felt in my heart that this is true for all of God’s children. He speaks to each of us through who we are.
God Speaks to Us in Plainness
Nephi describes the way God speaks to His children as being “plain,” saying:
“For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men.”
Instead of meaning “to lack in beauty,” plain in this context means “pure” or “not complicated.”
Nephi continues:
“For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding.”
This verse teaches that God sends revelation to each of us in a way that is personal, understandable, and natural. Because He knows us perfectly, He knows exactly how to reach us.
The intimacy of God’s knowledge is evident in the Old Testament, when Heavenly Father tells the prophet Jeremiah:
“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee.”
God intentionally created each of us with specific dispositions, talents, and personalities. The people we are drawn to, the activities we enjoy, and the skills we develop can bring us peace, support, and messages from God. As we walk these obvious paths, we not only receive God’s light, but we are also given tools to spread that light to others.
Focusing on our Strengths Brings the Spirit’s Voice
It might be easy to assume that the Spirit will speak to you the same way He speaks to others. But this assumption can create an air of frustration and mystery surrounding revelation because, to put it bluntly, the Spirit speaks to other people the way the Spirit speaks to other people.
When I realized that God had been speaking to me through who I already was, I felt a type of self-love I’d never experienced before—that I was truly special, incomparable, and intentionally made. My strengths immediately became obvious to me.
I felt like the psalm that reads, “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”
This self-love opened my eyes to the real danger of being self-critical. Negative self-talk and engaging in comparison can hinder our ability to receive revelation.
But when we focus on our strengths in a spirit of self-love, God’s voice becomes clear, “for God is love.”
This attitude isn’t one of vanity or boastfulness, but is a confidence born of our faith in God and Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 1:7 reminds us, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
Some overlooked strengths that invite revelation could include:
- Planning, organizing, and executing events, which can bring people together for a good cause
- Comforting others through being a good listener, an ability that can also help you listen to the Spirit
- Being able to laugh and make others laugh, which can create feelings of love, connection, and friendship
- Feeling emotions deeply, which increases empathy for others and an awareness of the Spirit’s presence
- Being sensitive to media that drives away the Spirit, allowing the Spirit to remain with you
- Having a reserved nature, which can help you notice others in need and be receptive to promptings
- Having a social nature, which can help you include others and receive comfort through them
- Having a curious mind, which encourages you to study the gospel and learn divine truths
- Enjoying physical recreation, which reminds you of the gift of having a physical body
- Enjoying nature, which connects you with God’s creations
- Having a scientific mind, which allows you to see and understand the beauty of the universe’s structure
- Being skilled at organizing and cleaning spaces, which can invite a spirit of clarity and peace
- Loving literature, art, and music, through which the Spirit can speak comfort and inspiration to your soul
These are just a few examples of possibly overlooked strengths. If you recognized one of the qualities above in yourself or had another come to mind, take a moment to appreciate the beauty of God’s deliberate creation of you and the personalized way He may be speaking to you and through you.
Because, as President Russell M. Nelson taught, “Oh, there is so much more that your Father in Heaven wants you to know.”
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