I find it interesting that a great many people I've met have never had it occur to them that they can find out the truth of life's most difficult questions all by themselves. Well, it is also true that one does need to be introduced to the concept by somebody else, but once a person has found the source, he/she can practice and get quite good at it on their own.
What I'm referring to is quite simple: asking God directly about the truth of important questions (both personal and general to humankind). It seems so simple, to ask God directly, but so many people find it very difficult or impossible, or that they can't have an answer, or that there is no God who answers.
Let's start with a little framework to understand this better. We have a few assumptions that need to be established: there is a God, He can answer and cares about us, and that He answers when we pray and ask serious questions (believing deep down that He will answer). All three of those assumptions can be validated by giving it a real, honest try.
But herein lies the challenge. Without knowing that God exists, and that He answers prayers even so, how do you muster up the faith to believe that He is there and will answer? How do you even pray? How long do you wait for an answer before throwing in the towel? What if you ask a question and get an answer you don't like or didn't expect? There are a lot of questions that arise in our minds before taking the step into the unknown.
The answer, of course, like the premise (just ask), is simple. You find someone who has a deep conviction and experience regarding answers that they can testify of, and listen to what they say. It starts with hearing someone tell you about it before you know to even try, and that your efforts could result in an answer. (A deeper question is, who told them first, and who told them, and so on until who told the first people on the earth? That's a topic for later, but is a very relevant question.) Next, with all sincerity, you swallow your pride and try to believe that they are telling the truth, even if it's a jump. Let that belief work in your heart for a while until you muster up the courage to find out for yourself. Even if you only have a desire to believe, that is enough; you have to start somewhere.
When you ask, you need to be prepared to do so alone. It's not necessary, but having the guts to talk to God without anyone else to get in the way can be a powerful thing. You'll know when you get there if you are sincere, because if so, you won't feel like you're talking to the wall, but will feel like there is someone nearby, listening intently. Speak to Him like He is your father, and talk honestly about how you feel. Ask for help, and ask for a confirmation, even if just a good feeling, that He is there and He is watching over you. Then you wait, patiently, and listen. You might need to try this a number of times, perhaps over a long period of time; some seem to get answers quickly, and some seem to have a longer test ahead of them to prove if they really are sincere. In any case, if you truly believe that you'll get an answer, you will.
To know that there is a God, and that He answers prayers, is knowledge that can't be equaled. Nobody can take that away from you. What is more, is that once you know that, you can have the confidence to ask Him if other things are right or not that are important in your life. The same process applies, and as you do this more and more you'll get better and better at it. Like all things, communication takes practice, to learn how God specifically speaks to you. You may start to recognize those same communications later when you're not praying, and you'll start to have your mind expanded and realize just how much He is involved in your life. (Hint: it's a whole lot.)
Of course, I am speaking from experience. I'm not perfect at this whole prayer thing, but I work at it. It has come to the point for me that, when I am not doing the right things in my life, I feel a very deep void when I cut myself off from that communication. I hate it so much that I feel very motivated to correct any issues and get back to where I can have that guidance again. I have learned a number of truths, and they are so burned into my heart that I could never forget nor deny them; I know them and trust these truths possibly more than I trust what I see ("seeing is believing" is somewhat of a wimpy philosophy to me these days).
Here are a few things that I know for certain. There is a God, and He is the father of our spirits. Our spirits existed before this earth life, and this is the next step in our progression. As we are the spiritual offspring of God, we are meant to become like Him if we do the right things to get there; we are not some experiment or playtoys of deity, but rather we are God's children. I know that we are not perfect, and that God is, and so to make up for the gap and allow us even a shot at becoming more like God, we need a savior who can do for us what we can't do for ourselves. That savior is Jesus Christ, the literal son of God (spiritually like us, but physically also, unlike us) who paid for our mistakes and offers the chance to bridge the gap. His conditions are repentance, belief in Him, and we must do all that we can to follow the commandments and endure to the end. It's a pretty amazing bargain, if you ask me. There is a lot more I have learned, but that's a good start.
Of course, you really ought to find out for yourself. Just ask God Himself.
