The condition of the heart: Murmuring

Something that has been on my mind lately with the hastening of revelation received for members of  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints​. My social media has been full of posts and thoughts about many of the changes, direction, correction, and guidance we have recently received the past few months. The opinions have been so spread and divisive, and I've been seeking to know how to make sense of it all.

 

How can there be so much unrest and divided opinions between faithful members of the Church? 

Have we learned nothing from the scriptures about revelation, the role of a prophet, and the faith required to follow sometimes?  

 

I read a post the other day about Modern-day Murmuring - that summed up many of my thoughts - but I wanted to explore it further.

 

"We have sustained by uplifted hand our living prophets. We rejoice in the privilege of hearing the revealed word of God in our day from our living prophets. What do we do when we hear them? Do we follow the instructions of our living prophets with exactness, or do we murmur?"

Elder H. Ross Workman 'Beware of Murmuring'

 

As I read this I wondered how we bridge the gap between following blinding with exactness and coming to the will of the Lord when our mind may not be at peace initially without falling into the trap of murmuring.

 

Then I found this post from another Christian with similar thoughts.

 

"A heart murmur is not the disease itself, but it is an indication of a heart problem. If you have a heart murmur, there’s a possibility that you have a congenital heart problem, valve calcification, endocarditis, and rheumatic fever. When you have a heart problem, you can quickly get tired, and you can’t breathe properly. You suffer from chest pain, and when nothing is done to address the issue, you will eventually die.

Now, here’s the point I want to drive into: Like the physical heart murmur, spiritual heart murmurs are also dangerous for us. The act of murmuring is not the real problem, but it is our heart. Constant murmuring is an indication that there’s something wrong with your attitude and relationship with God. When left unchecked, murmuring can lead to ingratitude, dissension, strife, pride, distrust, rebellion, and ultimately, death. Just like a heart murmur, at first, you only hear it with a stethoscope. Then it gets louder and louder until our heart can’t efficiently pump blood anymore and irreversible damage takes place."

Elder Workman taught that murmuring consists of three steps:

1. Question and exercise your own judgement - “What need hath my lord of this tower, seeing this is a time of peace?” (D&C 101:48).
2. Rationalize and excuse from doing what is instructed - “Might not this money be given to the exchangers? For there is no need of these things” (D&C 101:49).
3. Slothfulness  in following the commandment - “And while they were at variance one with another they became very slothful, and they hearkened not unto the commandments of their lord. And the enemy came by night, and broke down the hedge; and the servants of the nobleman arose and were affrighted, and fled; and the enemy destroyed their works, ” (D&C 101:50-51).

 

 The Lord has spoken against this attitude in our day: “But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned” (D&C 58:29).

  

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord” (Isa. 55:8).

 

I definitely don't know the answer to many of the questions I posed - but what damage is modern day murmuring doing to your heart? I know it is something that I need to continually check and monitor. I am grateful to have a prophet of God and that I can trust that many things will be revealed that will be for my greater good in all ways whether I fully comprehend or not.