Today we continue our series with Mormon bloggers sharing some of their thoughts on belief in God, how they know God exists, and how they have come to gain a testimony of His love and reality. “Cocoa” from Chocolate on My Cranium is our featured blogger today. To read more posts on questions like: “Does God exist? How can I know?” see posts in our category Mormons Believe in God.
It’s almost time for another LDS General Conference, and our featured Mormon blogger today, from Chocolate on My Cranium, shares some highlights from a past General Conference talk by President Henry B. Eyring, entitled Trust in God, Then Go and Do.
With this post, Cocoa explores some of the things that we can do, in addition to praying, to come to know that God is real, and that trusting Him brings peace and help in our lives. Coming to trust in God includes taking action. We believe faith is, indeed, a principle of action.
Cocoa uses President Eyring’s talk to address questions that people commonly have about the process (and it is a process!) of coming to know and trust God:
*How do we come to trust God?
Pres. Eyring says, “Trust comes from knowing God.”
*How do we come to know God?
By talking to Him through prayer, by studying His words in scripture, by learning all that He has revealed about Himself, by keeping His commandments.
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3)
“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)
“Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)….*How do we find out what God wants us to do?
We have to ask. We have to listen.
Cocoa then addresses an interesting issue that some may face — that of being afraid to ask, afraid to know what God might have us know or do. She reminds us that:
We are each on different levels, at various points on our journeys.
And then, again using the words of a modern-day prophet, testifies:
Isn’t it wonderful to know, “Your needs are great and varied. Each of you is a unique child of God. God knows you individually. He sends messages of encouragement, correction, and direction fitted to you and to your needs.” (Pres. Eyring) It behooves each of us to put our trust in God, find out what God wants us to do and the do it.
*How do we show our trust in God?
Again from Pres. Eyring: “You show your trust in Him when you listen with the intent to learn and repent and then you go and do whatever He asks. If you trust God enough to listen for His message in every sermon, song, and prayer you will find it. And if you then go and do what He would have you do, your power to trust Him will grow, and in time you will be overwhelmed with gratitude to find that He has come to trust you.“
Read Cocoa’s full post on knowing and trusting God.
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Coming to know and trust God is a wonderful journey. We hope if you haven’t begun that journey, that you will. We testify that God is real, that He knows and loves you, and that He is always there for us, no matter where we are in our lives. If reading others’ feelings and experiences about coming to know God interest you, you might also be interested in the following links about coming to know God, evidences of the existence of God, and the nature of God.
