Episode 02: “Hear, Hearken, Heed,” Getting Real
This episode looks at three distinct levels of how we “Hear Him” -- Hear, Hearken, and Heed. I get real with you by sharing three spiritually defining memories.
I am often asked how I went from divorced, defeated, and dependent on food stamps, to where I am today. It's a long story, but it's a really great story! It's a story about how I came to better understand the Lord's love for me through hearing, hearkening, and heeding the voice of the spirit. It's a story of how the Lord healed me of the spiritual disease of believing I could never "be good enough" or "special enough" or "forgiven enough" to be welcomed into the Father's kingdom.
One of God's deepest sorrows must be knowing many of His children will go through mortality never knowing Him. They won't remember Him or comprehend the great depths of His love for them.
God wants all His children to know Him and to remember Him.
Key points
The key to HEARING: Learn to recognize the language of the Spirit
The key to “hearkening” is listening, pondering, and sincerely seeking understanding.
The key to “heeding” is acting; taking intentional steps to follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
The more we heed the voice of the Spirit by acting on promptings, the greater the number of promptings we’ll receive, because the Lord knows he can trust us to act.
Getting Real
In this section, I share three spiritually defining memories of how I came to “Hear Him” in distinct ways and on three different levels.
“Shake My Fist at Heaven” -- A snapshot into one of my darkest moments as a divorced, single mom struggling with a crisis of faith.
“Oh, Divine Redeemer” turning point -- Beginning the road to repentance.
“Easter Miracle” -- The night Jesus raised me from spiritual death and encircled me in the arms of his love
One of the biggest mistakes I had been making for decades was putting limits on Christ’s Atonement. I had convinced myself that Christ’s Atonement wasn’t infinite enough or eternal enough to cover MY sins. I had been believing in a limited God!
I believed in Jesus Christ, but I didn’t really believe Him. I knew the doctrine, but I was not converted to the principles. When the gospel of Jesus Christ finally made it from my head into my heart, I realized a very important truth: I am a daughter of God, and I am glorious! Because He made me to become like Him.
To listen to this episode on Spotify, iTunes, or another podcast platform, click here.
Resources for this episode:
“Spiritually Defining Memories” Neil L. Anderson, April 2020
“Converted Unto the Lord” David A. Bednar, October, 2012
“If Ye Had Known Me” David A. Bednar, October, 2016
“An Evening With Elder David A. Bednar,” February 2020
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