Episode 61. 3 Ingredients to Spiritual Survival

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There is something that keeps happening more and more frequently that I didn’t expect to happen? Spiritually strong and faithful people are leaving the church. Every time I hear about these amazing people I am so surprised because it seems to come out of nowhere. One day I see them at church fulfilling their calling and bearing their testimony and then next I hear that they have left the church.

The first thought that comes to my mind is, “I wonder what led up to this decision for them?” I know that it isn’t something they just decided one day. I am sure this was a carefully thought out and often times agonizing decision. It certainly wasn’t an easy choice and it probably came with a lot of contention from people in their lives. People they love and deeply care about.

One of the reasons I want to know what led up to that decision for them is because I am looking at my life and wondering what I am doing, or not doing, that could lead me down the same path. I want to know what it is that I could do to ensure my spiritual survival in the future. I want to prepare now for those times when my spirituality will be tested, pushed and deeply examined. I want strategies in place so that when I am in a position to doubt or question I am fortified enough to withstand the pressure.

This is something that has been on my mind for a long time. I have been putting into practice and testing and trying out strategies. I have spent time and energy in prayer asking God to guide me and lead me to help others be fortified for future spiritual challenges. So I thought I would share with you the ingredients I have come up with to create a recipe for success that I am doing to ensure my spiritual survival in the future. 

The reason I chose the word ingredients is because leaving an ingredient out in a recipe could lead to you making something entirely different than you intended or minimum not turn out the way you wanted. When you are talking about your spiritual survival in the future you don’t want to have it not turn out right or be something different than you intended.

I want to share 3 ingredients with you that I have found helpful in ensuring spiritual survival in the future. I have also created a worksheet that includes each ingredient, the benefits of incorporating it into your life, and a space for you to write down what you will do for each of those ingredients to ensure your spiritual survival. 

1. Build a Relationship With Each Member of the Godhead

Yes that’s right each member, not just the Savior. Each member of the Godhead has a special role in your life and getting to know them and what they offer you can help you utilize them in your life. If you are not building a relationship with them, you will not understand how vital they are in your life. They will seem distant. It won’t feel like a relationship worth fighting for.

Think about the strong relationships you have in your life. Why are they strong? Because you have spent time developing them and using tools to help you strengthen that relationship. My guess is that you have had hard times in that relationship and you fought to keep it because you knew that person intimately, cared for them and loved them deeply.

Spending time understanding the role each member of the Godhead plays in your life and how to develop a strong relationship with them will help you want to fight for that relationship in the future when difficult times arise.

What can you do to develop those tools to build a relationship with each member of the Godhead?

2. Learn to Hear Him Daily

President Nelson has emphasized the necessity for us the hear the Savior in our daily lives. In face he said, “Because when we seek to hear, truly hear, His Son, we will be guided to know what to do in any circumstance.” Think about it, if you are faced in the future with uncertainty and doubt what would you want the very most? To know what to do. 

Learning to hear Him NOW is vital to your spiritual survival. And not just in the big things. In the small moments of every day life. That’s how you learn to hear Him when life is rough. You learn to make it a habit daily for the little decisions and when the bigger decisions come along you will be accustomed to hearing His guidance.

President Nelson is constantly renewing his PLEA “to do whatever it takes to increase your spiritual capacity to receive personal revelation." He also taught us that “Doing so will help you know how to move ahead with your life, what to do during times of crisis, and how to discern and avoid the temptations and the deceptions of the adversary.” Those are some pretty big promises that will help you survival spiritually in the future. 

What are you going to do to learn to Hear Him more in your life?

3. Create Consistent Spiritual habits

Notice I said habits and not routine or scripture study. Spiritual habits are something you can do throughout the day. Not just once as part of a specific routine such as reading your scriptures. Each week when you partake of the sacrament, you are asked to remember Him always. Not just while you are in the scriptures or doing your routine.

Developing habits that help you remember Him throughout the day will help you access His power at every moment. Remember to seek His guidance in all that you do. If you have habits that connect you with God throughout the day then you will be fortified spiritually for any attack that may come

What are you doing to have spiritual habits throughout the day?

As you can see, your spiritual survival needs to take priority in your life and investing in strategies that will ensure that is a must. I hope you sincerely consider what you can do in each of these areas so you are not missing any ingredients. Each ingredient is important to ensure the recipe for success turns out the way you want it to.

If you are wanting some help with those areas, I have a course called the Spiritual Survival Course that actually helps you develop skills in each of these areas. In my Spiritual Survival Course I walk you through how to build a relationship with each member of the Godhead and I give you specific tools to strengthen those bonds so you can feel the power they have to offer you each day. 

The course also teaches you 5 mental health tools to help you learn to hear him more in your life.  I help you develop 9 different spiritual habits and incorporate them throughout your day so you can be fortified spiritually for the future. For my blog readers, I have a special 50% of discount for the course.  Just use code PREPARE at checkout.