Know what this is?

When you hear it you know it’s a warning to flee quickly lest you be subjected to painful, venomous, even deadly, bites. It is an audible warning of a physical danger.

But what of spiritual danger? Are there warning rattles we can attune ourselves to that if heeded will protect us spiritually? Of course there are. We have the words of prophets, scriptures, parents and the best guide of all—the whisperings of the Holy Spirit.

“The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life.” ~Julie B. Beck~

I admit I am hard of “hearing” sometimes. I need to do a better job of acting on the personal inspiration I receive. Why does it take repeated warnings before I listen? Do I resist the promptings of change because I am not willing to give certain things up?

“Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 7:51)

I know why I resist. I don’t like change. It hurts!

And I have to swallow my pride.

It takes humility to acknowledge that what I have been doing is not right or, maybe better put, not the best I could be doing because I know better. I fall into the category of “treating lightly those things [I] have received.” (Doctrine and Covenants 84:54)

For me personally I have learned that when warnings come in twos and threes I’d better pay attention. About a month ago I purchased a new set of scriptures. My old ones had missing pages, the binding was coming undone, they were literally falling apart. I decided to try a different approach to my scripture study. Instead of reading straight through as I usually do I was going to study by topic, more specifically the guidance, blessings and counsel I have been given in my patriarchal blessing.  In my naivete I thought, “I’ll study one topic a day and be done by the end of June.”  Thank goodness the Lord knows me better than I do! I am still studying the first two topics of reverence and cleanliness. In studying I not only read the scriptures but also General Conference talks, Ensign articles, BYU Speeches, etc. I’ve learned more about reverence and cleanliness and how they are intertwined than I ever have before. I’ve also learned about some areas of my life where I can be doing better – much, much better.

Thanks to those personal warning rattles.

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