“One of the things the Spirit has repeatedly impressed upon my mind since my new calling as President of the Church is how willing the Lord is to reveal His mind and will. The privilege of receiving revelation is one of the greatest gifts of God to His children. Through the manifestations of the Holy Ghost, the Lord will assist us in all our righteous pursuits.”
– Russel M. Nelson, April 2018, Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives
When you think about relationships, you probably think of the important people in your life; your family, your friends, your future significant other, etc. Your first thought probably isn’t your relationship with the Holy Ghost. But surprisingly, (or maybe not so surprisingly,) your relationship with the Holy Ghost can affect every other relationship in your life. The Holy Ghost can become an incredibly valuable companion to have when navigating the ups and downs of dating and all the decisions you’ll face along the way.
Why do I need the spirit in my life?
“When we communicate with Heavenly Father, we do so through prayer. When He speaks to us, He does so through revelation.”
– Gordon Limb, March 5, 2013, Recognizing and Responding to the Promptings of the Spirit
The spirit has a lot of roles in your life. The spirit “will show you all things what [you] should do.” (2 Nephi 32:1-5) He can guide you and give you discernment in your decision making, he can warn you of bad situations – potentially before they even start – and help keep you safe. He can confirm good choices, help you keep an eternal perspective, and give comfort when needed.
God wants to speak to you. When he does, it is the Spirit that brings those messages to your mind and your heart.
If God had a message for you, wouldn’t you want to make sure that you received it?
God has so much in store for you and has so much to give you and tell you. Once we learn to tune our spiritual ears to the voice of the spirit, we can receive all that revelation that God has in store for us.
“Does God really want to speak to you? Yes! “As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course … as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints.”
– Russel M Nelson, April 2018, Revelation for the Church, Revelation for our lives
How can my relationship with the spirit help with dating?
Dating comes with lots of decision making – who to go on a date with, where to go on your dates, who to pursue a relationship with, and eventually who to marry.
Hopefully, Mutual makes some of these decisions a little easier! You already know that there’s a mutual connection and you have plenty of date activity options from mutualDates to choose from! When it comes to some of the more serious decision making, you may decide to seek revelation from the Lord.
(Check out our recent post about seeking direction from the Lord when deciding who to marry here.)
There may be times that spirit will protect us from scary, harmful, or downright dangerous situations while dating. If you are ever on a date, or even just considering going on a date with someone, and you get a warning feeling from the spirit, listen to it! That’s God watching out for you.
Dating also comes with a lot of ups and downs. As much as we hope and look forward to the good times, there will also be times of rejection and disappointment. During these hard times, we can turn to the Lord and receive comfort through the Holy Ghost.
“He is the Comforter (John 14:26). As the soothing voice of a loving parent can quiet a crying child, the whisperings of the Spirit can calm your fears, hush the nagging worries of your life, and comfort you when you grieve. The Holy Ghost can fill you “with hope and perfect love” and “teach you the peaceable things of the kingdom” “
– True To The Faith
How do I know when the spirit is speaking to me?
The scriptures tell us a lot of ways the spirit can speak to us. For some, it’s a feeling or a thought. For others, it’s a voice. The same person can also feel the spirit in different ways at different points in their life. You might have something “[brought] … to your remembrance” (John 14:26) that you haven’t thought about in a while, or you might have a new thought that you’ve never had before. You can always count on the spirit to speak with a “still small voice” that is calm, does not cause contention or anger, etc.
Don’t discredit your gut feelings!
The closer you get to the spirit and the more you align your life and your will with God’s will for you, you may find yourself wondering whether the thoughts and feelings you have are from the spirit or just yourself.
If you’re having a hard time distinguishing what is from God, don’t stress! Just trust yourself. If you start moving in the wrong direction, God will let you know.
“How can I tell when I’m being prompted by the Spirit?…Quit worrying about it. Quit fussing with it. Quit analyzing it. You be a good boy, you be a good girl, you honor your covenants, you keep the commandments; and I promise you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that as you press forward with faith in Christ, your footsteps will be guided. As you open your mouth, it will be filled, and you will be where you need to be, and most of the time, you will not even have any idea how you got there.”
– Elder Bednar
How do I build and maintain my relationship with the spirit?
“Remember that “the Spirit of the Lord doth not dwell in unholy temples” (Helaman 4:24). Even though you have received the gift of the Holy Ghost, the Spirit will dwell with you only when you keep the commandments. He will withdraw if you offend Him by profanity, uncleanliness, disobedience, rebellion, or other sins. Keep yourself clean. Fill your life with goodness so you can be worthy of the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.”
– True To The Faith
Just like any relationship, building a relationship with the spirit and learning to recognize how the spirit speaks to you takes time and effort.
As you live worthily, keep your covenants, study your scriptures, attend the temple, pray sincerely, find ways to serve, and take time to ponder and listen for the voice of the spirit in your daily lives, your relationship with the spirit will grow, step by step, day by day.
“I promise that as you continue to be obedient, expressing gratitude for every blessing the Lord gives you, and as you patiently honor the Lord’s timetable, you will be given the knowledge and understanding you seek. Every blessing the Lord has for you—even miracles—will follow. That is what personal revelation will do for you”.
– Russel M Nelson, April 2018, Revelation for the Church, Revelation for our lives
Kaleigh Adamson
Kaleigh is a Marketing Coordinator for Mutual. She has worked with couples, relationships, dating, and love in a creative role for over a decade. She's a hopeless romantic who loves that her career allows her to help people find their soulmates. She downloaded Mutual when it first launched in 2016, coincidentally the same year she met her husband! They now live happily ever after in South Carolina with their two kids and dog.
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