Opening Our Spiritual Eyes: Seeing What the Spirit Already Shows Us

Brothers and sisters, have you ever felt like you were standing in the middle of a storm, looking at all the visible evidence of difficulty—the enemy's armies arrayed against you, the problem looming large—and thinking, "What are we going to do?"

It’s a feeling every one of us knows. Maybe it’s a tough assignment, a challenging family situation, or a deep doctrinal question that seems impossible to answer. We naturally focus on the immediate, the tangible, the things that are right in front of our noses. We are wired to see the visible.

But what if the greatest power, the greatest peace, and the greatest revelation comes when we intentionally train ourselves to see what the Spirit already knows? What if we can learn to open our spiritual eyes?

The message echoed so clearly in that talk: we are accustomed to only believing what we can see. If we don't see God acting, we assume He isn't acting. It’s a natural human tendency, isn't it? But the Savior invites us to a higher vantage point—a place where the visible chaos gives way to the invisible, eternal work of the Lord.

The Power of Looking Forward

Think about the account of Elisha and his servant. The city was surrounded by armies—a terrifying, visible reality. The servant cried out in fear. But Elisha taught him, and the Lord showed him, that the reality wasn't just the enemy before them; it was the fiery chariots and horses surrounding them. The battle was already won in the spiritual realm.

This is the essence of the gospel, isn't it? The struggle we face in our lives—the difficulty, the confusion—those are the 'armies' surrounding us. But if we can pause, if we can pray, and ask the Lord to open our eyes, we can see the spiritual reality: the strength of the covenant, the power of the Atonement, and the eternal plan of salvation at work.

Faith in the Unseen

The core principle here is moving from focusing on the *scarcity* of what we see to trusting the *abundance* of what we know is true. We are taught to look not at the temporary difficulties—which are fleeting, by the way—but to look toward the glory that awaits us.

When we feel discouraged, when the answer to prayer seems distant, I’ve found a simple anchor to pull on: I start speaking it out loud—"God is working on this." Or, more specifically, "God is working on the people around me who are not yet saved."

This isn't just positive thinking; it's a spiritual discipline. It’s choosing to focus our limited vision on the infinite capacity of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. It’s remembering that the Lord is constantly preparing the way, decorating the house, even when we are too busy looking at the dust on the floor to notice the beautiful fixtures He’s installing.

A Missionary Perspective

As we all strive to be better disciples, whether we are in the MTC, serving in the field, or simply sharing our testimonies in our homes, this principle is vital. Sometimes, the most important conversations—the ones that will lead to a conversion or a deeper understanding of the gospel—are happening in the quiet moments, in the subtle shifts of the Spirit, not in the dramatic, visible confrontation.

This is why I always encourage deepening your study. Don't just read the scriptures for the verses; read them to *feel* the Spirit pointing you to the eternal truth. Use those tools we have! If you're studying doctrine, dive into a Book Club in HolyPlaces. If you're wrestling with a tough question, let Davee guide you through the tough questions in the AI Investigator role. These are places where we practice seeing the unseen!

Remember, every member can be an internet missionary, every member can be a disciple anywhere, all the time. Let's commit today to looking past the visible struggle and anchoring our hearts to the eternal, unseen promises of our Redeemer.