The Blessings of Uncertainty

So far, 2014 has been the year of unprecedented uncertainty and significant life changes. As I deeply crave the satisfaction of having full confidence of what my next step should be, this year has been one of the most difficult, yet strangely enlightening periods of my life thus far. While I have not yet acquired a full vision of where my life is supposed to go, I would like to take the time to share some of the lessons I am learning from dealing with a deeply volatile period.

1. Allow times of uncertainty to provide instruction of how God speaks to you.
For me, it has been the times of spiritual thirst and nourishment, not the times of plenty, that I have come to better terms with how revelation works. When we do not know what job we should accept, what city to move to, whether a romantic relationship is right, or anything else that weighs heavily on our mind, our prayers will likely have more supplication. Our scripture study will be more meaningful. We will be much more attuned to obtaining the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. And in those times, we can acquire a much deeper understanding of how divine revelation works for us.
 
2. Uncertainty provides a way to be a more powerful agent of our choices
God is molding us to be active agents, not passive people. He has equipped us with the divine gift of reasoning and the Holy Ghost to make decisions for ourselves. We may not have all of the knowledge we need to make a significant choice. But more often than not, we will have enough. It is the uncertain, not the obvious decisions, that we will truly be molded into becoming beings of a more mature, spiritual understanding.

3. Answers to the life decisions we seek will eventually come.
While I do not have the complete answers to all of the life decisions I am seeking, I have a clearer picture of where I am going than I did several months ago. The plan is unfolding--at a more glacial pace than I would like it to be--but it is moving. If the answers I am seeking are of urgent importance, then they will come to me.

4. If we are living our lives the way we should, we won't go down the incorrect path.
Going to church, reading scriptures, and praying daily are more than simply good patterns of living: they are paramount for ensuring the Holy Ghost's active role in our lives. With the Holy Ghost's presence, we can have faith that we will enjoy the blessings of guidance and protection.

5.  Times of precarious uncertainty may be the necessary catalyst for revelation.
Maybe we should rethink adversity as a period where God is preparing us for a significant, revelatory experience. Could Joseph Smith, Moses, Abraham, and many other prophets have been prepared for their divine experiences, without the trials they encountered first?

Photo by Jan Sefti.