step by step.

I've been reading Doctrine and Covenants and this morning there were a few phrases that caught my attention:

D&C 52:4 "And inasumuch as they are faithful unto me, it shall be made known unto them what they shall do;"

D&C 53:6 ". . . these are the first ordinances which you shall receive; and the residue shall be made known in a time to come . . . "

D&C 54:10 ". . . be patient in tribulation until I come; and, behold, I come quickly."

D&C 55:6 "The residue shall be made known hereafter, even as I will."

These revelations basically came to Joseph Smith because someone wanted to know what God wanted them to be doing, so they asked Joseph for help.

Joseph went to the Lord and then received council and gave it to them. In almost all of these revelations the Lord said, do this much and then when the time is right, I'll let you know the next step.

It was interesting to me, because I feel that for most of us, this is how we receive revelation. It's usually enough light to see through the immediate darkness, but our entire journey usually isn't illuminated all at once. We go through step by step, trusting God and he takes us from place to place until we are where we're supposed to be (as well as having been everywhere we were supposed to be).

He gives us a little bit of light, we exercise our faith and follow it, and then when we're there, or the time is right, we get the next set of instructions.