My daughter has been receiving advice from her friends and their parents. They tell her to go with her gut and do what she wants to do. I try eplaining the diffrence between that feeling and the still small voice of the holy spirit. Any ideas how to explain? They come from a new age perspective. I come from a christian/inactive LDS background.
2 Responses to “My daughter has been receiving advice from her friends…”
Jorge Santana
2013-04-28 15:41:46
Hi sister. Thanks for your interesting comment. Gut feelings need to be carefully considered. Sometimes the Spirit can communicate with us through what some would call a "gut feeling." In thes cases, the feeling will be accompanied by the "quickening of the mind" or the "burning in the bosom" that we often associate with the Spirit.
On the other hand, our guts can also lead us to do all sorts of terrible and stupid things. So many have the idea that they should do what "feels right," but the truth is that we should do what is right by following the commandments that God has given us. Some think they should follow their hearts, but the truth is we should lead our hearts in the paths God wants us to tread.
Life is not a wandering journey. It's a journey with a fixed destination. We should strive to identify that destination, and then we should actively, intentionally move in its direction. I hope this answer helps.
Pamela Bonta
2013-04-28 06:34:51
"Going with your gut" can actually be one way of following the still small voice... As long as it is done in the proper fashion and for the proper reason. Sometimes our 'gut' will tell us to things that are against the Lord's principles. For example, if her 'gut' is telling her that she should get a flower tattoo instead of a butterfly one, it is not of the spirit since we know that we have been cautiond against getting tattoos. But if her 'gut' is telling her 'don't get a tattoo even though all your friends are doing it', then that would be of the Spirit.
The question that she should always ask herself when deciding whether or not to 'go with her gut feeling' is whether or not it is against the Lord.
On the other hand, our guts can also lead us to do all sorts of terrible and stupid things. So many have the idea that they should do what "feels right," but the truth is that we should do what is right by following the commandments that God has given us. Some think they should follow their hearts, but the truth is we should lead our hearts in the paths God wants us to tread.
Life is not a wandering journey. It's a journey with a fixed destination. We should strive to identify that destination, and then we should actively, intentionally move in its direction. I hope this answer helps.
The question that she should always ask herself when deciding whether or not to 'go with her gut feeling' is whether or not it is against the Lord.
This article may help:
https://www.lds.org/Ensign/2011/02/learning-to-hear-and-understand-the-spirit?lang=eng
This family home evening lesson may have some ideas for you as well.