A university student recently had a life-changing insight. But unlike most things he was learning as a student, this insight didn’t come from a lecture or a textbook. In fact, it was sparked when he forgot something from his textbook.
While enrolled in a science class, he was fascinated as he read about how stars are formed. He noticed that if someone asked him about stars when he was studying the book, he could accurately describe the exact conditions necessary for star formation. But if someone asked him the same question a month or two later, he might have some hazy memory that hydrogen gas was involved in the process, but he would be unsure about the details. In time, he might even start second-guessing himself—was he remembering correctly? Was hydrogen gas really essential to star formation? Time spent away from his studies caused him to doubt things he had once known with confidence and certainty.
And what was so life-changing about this simple observation? The young man realized that this basic principle of academic success also applies to his spiritual growth.
Truth is independent; it does not change. But our confidence in the truth varies according to our connection to God, the source of truth. That’s why spiritual habits are so important. If we take time each day to connect with heaven through prayer and pondering God’s word in purposeful study, we can more readily respond to life’s difficulties with faith and clarity. We can even respond more confidently to questions that might challenge our faith. When those challenges come, we don’t have to try to pull from a hazy memory of what we once read, felt, or knew. It’s much better instead to draw upon recent experiences with the divine. Life’s questions, confusions, and problems become less overwhelming and not so dark as we bask in divine light each day.
We are here on earth to learn and grow. And like every other living, growing thing on earth, we grow gradually, consistently, day by day—not in occasional growth spurts. Devotion to God, at its best, happens regularly, even daily. Spiritual experiences or feelings of the past may not be enough to carry us through tomorrow’s hard trials and hard questions. But taking time for holiness each day will keep our spiritual memories bright and powerful.
1 Originally presented by Lloyd D. Newell on Music & the Spoken Word broadcast, October 02, 2022.
August 11, 2024
Broadcast Number 4,952
The Tabernacle Choir
Orchestra at Temple Square
Conductor
Ryan Murphy
Organist
Brian Mathias
Host
Derrick Porter
Glory to God on High
Felice De Giardini; Arr. Mack Wilberg
Join We Now in Praise and Sing
Spanish melody; Arr. Mack Wilberg
Psalm 19
Benedetto Marcello; Arr. Diane Bish
I Know That My Savior Loves Me
Tami Jeppson Creamer ; Arr. Ryan Murphy
My God Is So High
African American spiritual; Arr. Ryan Murphy
O Love That Will Not Let Me Go
Albert L. Peace; Arr. Ryan Murphy