53. Some Assembly Required with Maria Eckersley
Have you ever found that with your own spiritual gifts, the labels read “some assembly required” like the toys you used to get at Christmas? We are told that we are a spiritually gifted people! But is there an instruction manual?
“There are spiritual gifts waiting on your front porch, but you have to do the spiritual work to open them and sometimes assemble!” —Maria Eckersley
Maria Eckersley joins this episode of the Magnify podcast where she shares here three spiritual insights from Elder Gary E. Stevenson’s talk “Promptings of the Spirit.” Kathryn and Maria discuss how they feel they can assemble some of their spiritual gifts, how they dislike the metaphor that tuning in to the Spirit is like a radio station, and that doing good is the way we receive more of the promptings we are looking for.
Maria’s Three Spiritual Takeaways
We are a spiritually gifted people:
Sometimes the gifts we want from the Spirit are like those packages on the front porch. They are available to us, but we have to open them and sometimes assemble them! Sometimes God won’t just bless us with an answer to a prayer, but instead give us the gift to actually work through and learn for ourselves how to answer that prayer.
The Spirit is something we invite, not command:
When we live worthy to have the Spirit, there isn’t some guessing game of tuning into the right channel to receive the revelation we are seeking. The Spirit can cut through any static we are looking for. Additionally, the Spirit might not always be speaking 24/7, but instead speaking in different ways: through other people, through sending us comfort, through relieving our fears, through sending peace, and many more ways.
When in doubt, do good:
God is all powerful, and therefore can direct our paths for good. Did you catch that? Paths—with an S! The Lord delights in showing us that we can take many routes and he will be there for the ride. We shouldn’t worry so much about finding the perfect “right” and just trust in his peace.
Small & Simple Challenge
Take this week to try to look at things with fresh eyes. Look at ourselves and our loved ones and watch for spiritual gifts. Articulate and say what you see out loud for others.