Guess and Check

Usually, we have a pretty good idea what we are or are not supposed to do. We know the basic commandments. We remember (some of) the counsel of the prophets. We also have access to the Spirit, through which we can gain guidance for our personal lives. But what if that guidance doesn't come? What if you have to make a decision, and there is no commandment saying what "thou shalt" or "thou shalt not" do, no prophet has ever spoken on the issue, and the Spirit's choosing to keep His silence as well?

Supposedly, that's supposed to be encouraging, because unless you've driven the Spirit away recently, silence on His part means that He trusts you to make the right decision. Still, in no way does that help you figure out what the right decision is. You could consider what moral principles might be involved in the decision, and what the results of each decision might be and how that might affect your future self or others. It basically boils down to making your own decision with your own logic, but that's a problem, because our logic is often flawed.

But on Facebook, I found a way to test your decisions to see if they were the right ones or not (albeit after the decision has been made).

Peace is a feeling that is often associated with the Spirit (though the people who wrote this probably don't understand that). The Spirit is often with us when we make good choices. Thus, if we've made a good decision, we'll likely feel the Spirit, which will give us a feeling of peace. The message above just cuts out the middle man, but the end result is the same. One way we can know if our decisions are the right ones is by how we feel about making them. If we feel peace, it's probably a good decision. If we feel uncertain, or a lack of peace about the idea, either before or afterward, it's probably not the best decision.

It can be hard sometimes to discern the voice of the spirit, or even our own feelings, but if the decision really matters (not all decisions do - you won't get guidance for those ones), you're certainly going to feel something. You may not feel clear guidance going into the decision, and that can be frightening sometimes, but trust your own judgement, as God apparently does, make the decision you feel is the right one, and then check with your feelings again. When the Spirit speaks peace to your soul, you'll know you're on the right track.