I often relate the importance of our beliefs, but do you know what I mean by it?
A belief is a thought or concept that we as beings, in human form, come up with to make sense of our life- who we are, the world, and those around us.
There are many types of beliefs, but if we break it down, there are 2 main types.
Type 1: A belief that resonates with the soul and triggers emotions of peace, happiness, excitement, joy, and wonder.
Type 2: A belief that that does not resonate with the soul and triggers emotions of anger, fear, jealousy, overwhelment, judgement, etc.
Being born into human form is like being given a blank canvas. We are given the opportunity to create our own reality through our beliefs. We get to decide what our lives will look like and we get to create who we are. It is an amazing gift.
We get to decide if there is a God, and who God is. We get to decide if the world is kind, or if the world is an evil place. We get to decide if it is safe to love and be vulnerable, or if it is dangerous to risk getting hurt by opening up to others. what we like, what our favorite color is, what we fear, what we love, if we are lovable or not, if we are good enough or not, etc.
Everything about our reality is created through our beliefs.
As a part of the human experience, we have been made to forget everything we once knew before our earth life. We have forgotten all that we once knew when we were one with God.
In order to make sense of who we are, what we are, and of the life we are experiencing, we come up with stories or beliefs, so that the ego or our human brain can comprehend our current reality.
These beliefs can be completely and utterly wrong…
OR, they can be entirely spot on and continue to guide us in encompassing our highest most authentic selves. A resonating belief brings us closer to God!
IN AN EVEN MORE SPIRITUAL SENSE, Chauncey Riddle breaks it down to this:
“I divide my support for my beliefs into two categories, lesser evidence and better evidence. Lesser evidence is that which comes through the flesh. Better evidence comes through the spirit.
1st lesser evidence is the testimony of other human beings. The witnesses of my parents, relatives, and friends were the beginnings of my beliefs. It was they who pointed me to belief and gave me my initial framework of ideas. As I grew older the testimony, example and teachings of my religious leaders, etc. were impressive. I could see for myself that they were intelligent, honest, capable people. These witnesses sank deep into my soul. As yet I did not know; I only believed, and that in a tentative experimental sort of way.
…I read the Book of Mormon, studied, had deep discussions…And as apparent contradictions melted before better understanding and as the range and beauty of the concepts came into my view, I was impressed. My belief was strengthened.
There was a strong pragmatic element to my beliefs. It didn’t take much intelligence to see that those who kept Church standards were better off. Those who were active and sincere were special people: accomplishers, doers, succeeders. As yet I had only belief; but that belief was getting stronger.
I was challenged greatly by professors in graduate school, and had to find support for my beliefs. A frantic inventory revealed that my store contained only circumstantial evidence; I didn’t really know. I realized that I needed a rock to stand on, and that rock could only be personal revelation.
I felt I had received some revelation before. However, I saw that random revelation was not sufficient. To be a rock, a bastion of surety, revelation must be something on which one can cound on and riceive in every occasion of real need. I began to seek for it actively. I prayed, I fasted, I lived the gospel as best I knew. And dependable revelation did come. Intermittently, haltingly at first, then steadily, over some years it finally came to be a mighty stream of experience. I came to know that any time of day or night, in any circumstance, for any real need, I could get help. That help came in the form of feelings of encouragement when things seemed hopeless. It came in ideas to unravel puzzles that blocked my accomplishment. It came in priesthood blessings which were fully realized. It came in whisperings of prophecy which were fulfilled. It came in support and even anticipation of what the General Authorities of the Church would say and do in general conference. It came in the gifts of the Spirit; as the wonders of eternity were opened to the eyes of my understanding. That stream of spiritual experience is today for me a river of living water that nourishes my soul in every situation. It is the most important factor of my life. If it were taken away, all that I have and am would be dust and ashes. It is the basis of my love, life, understanding, hope, and progress. My only regret is that though this river is so wonderful, I have not been able to take full advantage of it as yet. My life does not yet conform to all that I know. But now I do know; I do not just believe.
This river of revelation is the better evidence which I mentioned. The testimony of others, rational correlations, pragmatic justifications are all lesser evidence. But personal revelation, that enduring dependable river of personal experience with my God in prayer and obedience, that is better evidence, even a rock, even sure knowledge.
Although human authority, reason, pragmatic justification, and empirical evidence are lesser, while personal experience with God is the greater, the better evidence, I am grateful to be the possessor of both and to know that the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is true, that this is his restored Church, and that there is godly power in the priesthood authority of this kingdom. One thing further remains: To point out the place and relationship of the lesser evidence as related to the better, the sure rock.
Lesser evidence cannot give one sure knowledge of the truthfulness of the restored gospel. Lesser evidence is sand. Sand is not useless, for often it is our only basis for approaching and gaining the rock.
I believe that no one can build on another’s foundation, that we all must be true to our own experience and evidence.” –Pillars of My Faith – What a Privilege to Believe
“The light of belief is within you, waiting to be awakened and intensified by the Spirit of God and the Light of Christ, which you are born with.” –ROBERT D. HALES
THE NATURAL HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE 