Sifting Through the Voices to Find the Spirit

I listened to a few of the newer Mormon Messages, but the one that I always come back to as my favorite, is this special one with the background voice of James E. Faust.  First, let me say that President Faust has delivered some of my favorite sermons, so it is unsurprising that I am drawn to one of his messages.  I love this message, because the way society is shaped it is so easy to get distracted.  With news, blogs, facebook, games, texting, etc., there is so much media.  Then there is our busy lives.  We want to be in a play.  But we also want to join a running club.  But, oh wait, how about this book club.  But I also have to join another book club.  There are so many things I want to be involved in.

Then there is work.  And the time it consumes.  And balancing that with trying to start a family.  But then I am distracted because the Tigers are in the World Series.  And then I am mad because the Tigers lost the World Series.  And then I want to play sports to forget about the Tigers losing the World Series.  Admittedly, this analysis comes off as distracted and disjointed, but in reality that is what life does to us sometimes.  We live in a convenient yet complex world.  We live in a time where things are simpler, yet ultimately our lives are more complicated.  We live in a time where it is easy to be lazy, but we always feel busy.

So, I appreciate the words here.  We need to tune into the Spirit.  I love the quote, "Where is the wisdom that is lost in knowledge?  Where is the knowledge that is lost in information?"  T.S. Elliot, albeit a usually enigmatic poet, delivered these questions beautifully.  How much knowledge are we gaining from our perusals on the internet?  Does our wikipedia searches really enhance our wisdom?  I think these are poignant questions posed here.  Are our habits inhibiting us from gaining better more in depth knowledge and wisdom?  Are we leaving room for more enlightenment in our lives.  I often wonder if I am a slave to the devices at my fingertips.  Facebook. Liking Facebook Statuses.  Browsing Facebook.  Ok, I admit it, I am on Facebook a lot.

Amidst the busyness I often create for myself (or it is created for me), there are times where I recognize that spirit.  Times, where I am told, "your Wife needs you, go home."  "You need to make an effort to go to the temple today."  "You need to answer that call from your brother Nate."  "You need to write that message to that person you know is struggling."  These are all distinct impressions I felt this last week.  When I took a step back after watching the video, I tried to contemplate on whether I was in tune.  It is important to recognize when we are following the spirit.  It will give us strength.  But, I also wonder, were there other whisperings I couldn't hear, because I was distracted with the World Series or Facebook or College football?  Am I prioritizing the voices of the world over the voices of the Spirit?  Despite all these distractions that we face, I feel comfort in knowing there is a voice out there.  A voice that is a constant companion.  A voice I can rely on.  A voice that will guide me through sorrows, through decisions, and throughout my life.  A voice that is clear, soft, sincere, and distinct from the other muffled, distorted, and distracting voices I hear daily.  I am grateful for this voice.  For the ephemeral, yet ever-flowing and enlightening- voice of the Spirit.