Monday, August 28, 2017

Spiritual Death Vs. Spiritual Life: What Every Mom Needs to Know


The world at large is very aware of what physical death looks like. We are also familiar with what causes physical death. For example, we know that without food and water, we will eventually die. Food and water are necessary for survival. In order to quench hunger or thirst, we must eat or drink. It is obvious and simple.

What is NOT so obvious to the world at large is spiritual death and its devastation surrounding us. In fact, 1 Timothy 5:6 teaches that some are “dead” while they live. Just as our physical bodies need proper nutrition, our spirits are in desperate need as well. Yet so, so many of us are unknowingly starving our spirits—continually. Spiritual death is worse than physical death, but cunningly Satan tricks our society into thinking otherwise. He says if we feel good and look good physically, then we are “alive” and well (2 Nephi 28:21).

As mothers, we know we can’t skip a day without food and water, or we wouldn’t be able to function. We wouldn’t be able to nurse, have a healthy pregnancy, or meet the needs of our children, because we would be so depleted and weak. Do we realize the same goes for our spirits? In order to properly function and serve in our families, we MUST nourish and feed our spirits, every day.

It is vital that we turn to the correct source for spiritual nourishment. Oftentimes, when we feel spiritual suffering, we turn to the wrong source to fill the void. Isn’t it interesting how Satan deceives us to act on PHYSICAL appetites to meet our SPIRITUAL needs? When our spirits are hurting, we might turn to food, entertainment, spending money, dangerous addictive behaviors, drug and alcohol abuse, physical pleasure, mind-numbing activities, and so on. These physical appetites can never fill a spiritual void, and instead, they make the void worse. It is neccessary that we turn to SPIRITUAL sources to meet our spiritual needs. Thankfully, Heavenly Father has given us plenty of simple ways we can find such nourishment.

Dallin H. Oaks teaches how we can feed and nourish our spirits,