In Awe of Christ and His Gospel
In Awe of Christ and His Gospel
Ulisses Soares
Takeaways:
We should feel “spiritual wonder” about the gospel of Jesus Christ and how it can bless us. “[W]hen we truly are in awe of Jesus Christ and His gospel, we are happier, we have more enthusiasm for God’s work, and we recognize the Lord’s hand in all things. Additionally, our study of God’s words is more meaningful; our prayers, more intentional; our worship, more reverent; our service in God’s kingdom, more diligent. All these actions contribute to the Holy Spirit’s influence being more frequent in our lives.” Additionally, our testimony is strengthened and we become more spiritually resilient.
The opposite of spiritual wonder is spiritual apathy, which is the “gradual loss of our excitement to engage fully in the Lord’s gospel.” It begins when we feel complacent and causes us to take the gospel for granted. This distances us from the Lord and makes us vulnerable to temptations and doubts.
We can avoid spiritual apathy by accepting the Savior’s invitation to learn of Him and strive to become like Him. “At the core of our effort in this journey are, of course, the two great commandments: to love the Lord our God and love our neighbor as ourselves.”
To strengthen our spiritual wonder, we need to “immerse ourselves with faith and real intent in the Savior’s teachings,” strive to “incorporate His attributes into our way of being,” practice “repentance, seeking His forgiveness and His redeeming power in our lives,” and keep the commandments.”
Questions to Ponder:
Can you recall a moment when you felt “spiritual wonder” about the gospel of Jesus Christ?
Have you experienced any moments of “spiritual apathy”? What areas of your testimony, if any, are vulnerable to feelings of complacency?
Take a moment to ponder the blessings that the gospel has brought and can bring to individuals and families. See if you can get to a place where you feel a “sensation of emotion, awe, or amazement” about the Savior and His teachings.