I, the Lord, Will Feel After Them

The apostle Paul assured a group of philosophers in Athens that God intends for His children to “seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us” (Acts 17:27). The word “haply” means “by any chance,” indicating both risk and anticipation: God is hoping that we will reach out to Him. The Greek word translated “feel after,” psélaphaó (ψηλαφάω) implies finding something in the dark by touch alone.

The scriptures testify that if we seek God we will find Him. (See for example Jeremiah 29:13; Matthew 7:7; 3 Nephi 14:7; 1 Nephi 10:19.) These passages imply that we must initiate the process. But in Doctrine and Covenants 112, the Lord turns that process upside down. Speaking of church leaders who had endured significant persecution, He says:

After their temptations, and much tribulation, behold, I, the Lord, will feel after them, and if they harden not their hearts, and stiffen not their necks against me, they shall be converted, and I will heal them.

Doctrine and Covenants 112:13

So God is not merely waiting for us to reach out to Him; He is actively reaching out to us. Our task is not to initiate the conversation but to accept His invitation. The promise is the same one He gave to the Nephites and Lamanites after the destruction which coincided with His death:

Will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?

3 Nephi 9:20

It’s also the same blessing Isaiah lamented that people fail to receive because of fat hearts, heavy ears, and closed eyes: conversion and healing. (See Isaiah 6:10; 2 Nephi 16:10; Isaiah 6:10; Matthew 13:15-16; Acts 28:27.)

Elder Patrick Kearon has testified that our Father in Heaven is not simply waiting for us to reach out to Him. He is actively reaching out to us:

God is in relentless pursuit of you. He “wants all of His children to choose to return to Him,” and He employs every possible measure to bring you back.

“God’s Intent Is to Bring You Home,” April 2024 general conference

Last Saturday, Elder Kearon reiterated this principle. Commenting on Peter’s testimony that the Savior “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38), Elder Kearon asked, “Have you felt Him going about doing good in your life even when you haven’t been seeking Him or following Him?” (“Jesus Christ and Your New Beginning,” October 2025 general conference).

Perhaps we need to change our paradigm. Instead of imagining God patiently waiting for us to reach out to Him, we need to recognize that He is actively reaching out to us. Instead of viewing our prayers as the beginning of the process, we can view them as a response to His invitations, and as an activity that helps us soften our hearts so that we can receive His healing power. Instead of feeling that He is neutral and objective, we can remember how much He loves us and that He is very much on our side.

Today, I will look for ways that God is “feeling after” me. I will strive to recognize His influence in my life and open my heart, so that I can be converted and healed by Him.