Pure Genius

Purify- to free from objectionable/foreign elements; to free from evil; to clear; to make clean.

When I used to hear the word "purify", in the religious context, my first thoughts always turned to people like Jesus Christ or his prophets or things like the color white, temples, holy water, or chastity-- all symbols that represent perfection in one sense or another to me.

I often jumped over the word if I happened to read it in the scriptures, or my ears would skip past it in church talks, as if I understood the concept in its entirety. Oddly enough, my feelings inside suggested otherwise; I felt immeasurable inadequacy, and would often get frustrated and uncomfortable at the thought of trying to make my life look like the inside of a temple or as perfect as the Savior himself.

Recently, I've been learning something new and personal about being "pure". Purifying my heart invites the Spirit to speak louder in my life.

A pure heart is one that is less likely to desire something that will lead us further from the Spirit and truth. According to Jack H. Goaslind, purity is a "hard-won, well-practiced" skill. It takes choosing righteous things over and over to solidify purity in our hearts. I cannot simply desire a pure heart, I must work for it.

Remember how I said I used to cringe at the thought of all the work it would take to be pure like Jesus or like the inside of a temple… or even get close to it for that matter? Ironically, I have found that it becomes easier to do that work… as I do the work. What I mean to say is, with each righteous decision I've been making, even the small and simple ones, I've been granted a motivation that was lacking before. Desires to continue to do more work to attain a likeness of Christ stay in my heart and I make better decisions because of that. From there, a solidified pure heart grants me the constant companionship of the Spirit-- the best part of deal. Thoughts and feelings that come from the constant companionship of the Spirit completely nullify frustrations and worries that would otherwise de-energize or discourage me in my pursuit.

As I have made efforts to purify my heart, the Spirit has spoken more clearly and unmistakably in my life. Promptings from my Father in heaven have become louder, easier to understand, and easier for me to follow… especially when it's inconvenient to follow or things get complicated. The Spirit has brought light where there was darkness, clarity where there was cloudiness, and peace where there was unrest and turmoil.

I am high on this concept of how purified hearts reap more direction and satisfaction/love in life. Though I'll never be perfect in this life, I rejoice in how genius God's plan is and what he offers in order to help and support us while we make that trek towards perfection.

During general conference today, I was reminded of a couple of special scriptures that made me smile and appreciate my new found, personal understanding of purification.

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love [the love of Christ]; …that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure." -Moroni 7:48

"But great and marvelous are the works of the Lord and the mysteries of his kingdom…which surpass all understanding in glory, and in might, and in dominion…neither is man capable to make them known, for they are only to be seen and understood by the power of the Holy Spirit, which God bestows on those who love him, and purify themselves before him."