Have you ever felt despair, felt that nothing goes right and all seems gloomy? In this you may experience that there are no apparent answers, no way out, or that the down and out events just keep repeating themselves? Have you experienced constant disappointment, that no matter what you did, very little progressed and changed? Again this may have led to feelings and thoughts of despair?

In any of these states of mind and heart, have you been able to see clearly and see answers to your dilemma’s?

Did you not find that positive or constructive thought is hampered. Ideas or thoughts that come from yourself, just do not work or fail to resolve the issue or problem. This in itself can lead to frustration, upset and more despair. Yet you may have thought that this down and out kind of state can also be a test of your resolve in faith?

IN these negative states of mind and heart, it is hard to achieve enlightened thought, positive thought or even good thought. The seemingly negative loop or rut exists because the mind and heart is in a state of despair or negative spiral. A pattern usually perpetuated by inquity, fear, or any thing that is of evil or wickedness. In other words, those things that are opposite of joy, peace, love and goodness.

We all know that in this mortal life, we cannot always be joyful, not constantly happy, not always peaceful. We will experience and have those opposite things. This is the design made by God for us to experience, but when getting caught in that negative spiral or rut, things may seem unending or hopeless. I am sure that many have read the words from Church authorities warning us about this.

From this, there are some that may believe that it is impossible to hear or receive help from the Spirit of God because of the darkness that seems to surround everything, especially when feeling that the Father cannot hear you as you may feel very far removed. – Well, don’t despair.

The Spirit of God is quite adapt in piercing the darkness that shrouds you. After all, is this not what occurred with Joseph Smith in his First Vision? The light of God shone throught the thick and sickly darkness that engulfed Joseph and raised him up!

This says that you need the Spirit of God.

When in these hopeless states of mind and heart, you need the Spirit of God to guide you, to give insight, to give you that light of hope and understanding. Many times a resolution may not occur right away, but with that “Light of Truth” that piearces the darkness, the shroud of evil and gloom, the misery; this Light of Truth will lift you sufficently, give you proper understanding and provide those needed feelings of stability and direction to work your way out. So what do you need to do to receive this “Light of Truth”?

The “act” of Faith is the key. To do things of faith and most of all, sincere and humble prayer.

To ask of God is what each Latter-day Saint must do. This because no person has the ability in and of himself to overcome those things that are beyond mortal powers to overcome and when a person is in the down state of mind, it affects the ability to “perceive” beyond it or merely perceive it clearly. This is why God warns us to remain obedient because to partake of sin, lowers our spiritual state and lowers our state of mind and heart to that doom and gloom state.

I have been to both places. I have been in that place where I ignored the Spirit of God, did not seek him and as a result I remained in that dark place unable to see my way out. It was not until I humbled myself and sought the Spirit rightfully did I receive his help, the “Light of Truth” and I was “saved” from despair and disappointment. I came to realize that these negative states do affect the mind in such a way that hampers clear or good thought. They seem to lock the mind into a negative mode and to attempt to break that mode seems to bring more sorrow or discomfort.

Once the Spirit helped me out, once the Light of Truth enligthened my mind, I was able to see that this is the kind of place that Satan resides. It showed me why Satan is what he is and revealed that when a person is permanently placed in that deary slum, he/she can easily become it. In other words, a transformation begins in the mind and heart and unless this transformation is stopped, it will engulf the entire person and even transform the body. This helped me understand how those spirits cast out became deformed.

I saw that when a person chooses to do evil, even toward others and does not repent that evil, he can become locked in that deary spiritual place that “burdens” the mind and heart, chaining it. The only source which the mind can draw from is darkness.

The “Light of Truth” is a grand blessing from God. It enlightens the mind and heart, softens the face and hands, brings peace and relief and provides a true stable inward ground. It also chases away darkness, evil and all things wicked. It is this Light of Truth that saved Joseph Smith from Satan during that First Vision. By the fact that this Light of Truth raises a person up or out of gloom and darkness is confirmation that the First Vision is true.

Without this Light of Truth, a person is lost and easily fooled and misguided. I see how the experience with the Light of Truth brought understanding that is so important. Not only to teach us about our own limitations, but what we need to depend on when dealing with darkness. This along with the importance to deepen our testimony and provide further confirmation that this Church, the prophet and restored gospel is true. By these spiritual experiences we can learn truth and learn how to see it.

You need, we need, everyone needs the Spirit of God, for this spiritual path, the straight path is impossible to transverse without his Spirit.

Amen

Share|