Brad Wilcox from his book ‘Changed Through His Grace’ taught: . .
. . . the Holy Ghost was like someone tapping on his shoulder. To me, the Spirit’s direction is like following a spiritual traffic light. When I speak to youth, I teach them that after they make a decision they may feel a “stupor of thought” restraining them. “That is like a red light,” I say. Then I explain that sometimes after they make a decision they may feel a warm feeling—a confirming assurance of the Spirit that they are doing the right thing. I tell them, “That is a green light.”
Just like when we are driving, we get into a mess if we go forward on a red light or stop on a green. Of course, traffic signals change frequently, and sometimes the Spirit will change His directions as well. Most of us know what to do when we see a green or red light. We can even deal with a change of direction as long as the message is clear. The problem is the yellow lights. What do we do when we study things out in our minds, make a decision, take it to God as the scriptures instruct, and get no response? That is a yellow light. When we are feeling neither a burning nor a stupor, we must proceed—with caution, of course—but proceed all the same.
Elder Richard G. Scott taught, “When we explain our problem and a proposed solution [to Heavenly Father], sometimes he answers yes, sometimes not. Often He withholds an answer, not for lack of concern, but because He loves us—perfectly. He wants us to apply truths He has given us. For us to grow, we need to trust our ability to make correct decisions.”5
Some people become discouraged when they receive yellow lights. They assume it is evidence that God doesn’t care or that He is too busy for them. I try to take a positive point of view and see yellow lights as evidence that God trusts me. He knows I have made correct decisions in the past, and He trusts me to do it again. To me it seems like a vote of confidence that He doesn’t need to direct my every move. We are sent to earth to obtain experience and develop faith. That purpose would be frustrated if the Spirit gave direction on every decision. Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught, “We study things out in our minds using reasoning powers our Creator has placed within us, Then we should pray for guidance and act upon it if we receive it; if we do not receive guidance, we should act upon our best judgement.”
When I receive a yellow light, I proceed with faith and trust that if I really am about to mess up, God will stop me. I take comfort in the words John H. Groberg once spoke to students at BYU: “Because [the Lord] knows we need growth, he generally does not point and say [the clear direction]. But if a decision is wrong, he will let us know—we will feel it for sure. I am positive of that. So rather than saying, ‘I will not move until I have this burning in my heart,’ let us turn it around and say, I will move unless I feel it is wrong.”7 The Spirit’s guidance and direction is a manifestation of grace—an expression of divine help. It is one more way God draws us to Him and teaches us to be more like Him. ~ Brad Wilcox, Changed Through Grace, (Deseret Book, Salt Lake City 2017) 132-35 Dwarsligger edition
