I think faith is an interesting subject to study and learn how to apply in our lives. Because without faith, I do not know how these spiritual experiences make themselves manifest in our lives.
I think there is a powerful message in this. In order to have faith, you have to want to have these things happen. And then, you are looking for the evidence of your faith.Moroni 7:
34 And he hath said: Repent all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, and have faith in me, that ye may be saved.
35 And now, my beloved brethren, if this be the case that these things are true which I have spoken unto you, and God will show unto you, with power and great glory at the last day, that they are true, and if they are true has the day of miracles ceased?
36 Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved?
37 Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain.
However, it does not seem to work so easily that just by wanting, then it will happen the way you want it to. But certainly, if you don't have faith, you won't believe enough to label any kind of experience as "Spiritual", but you dismiss them some other way.
We all write our stories. We can write them as spiritual experiences, or not spiritual experiences. It depends on how we choose to see it and label it (which does not make them less real, IMO). I have seen this as some people work through their experiences trying to make sense of it, and when they say, "I didn't get a burning in the bosom, but that's because I already knew the answer, and I didn't need any further witness." We try to find the stories to make sense of our experiences, what truly feels meaningful to how we feel inside.
I think there is truth in this statement. I think some people can feel just fine being alive without any spiritual experience, because spiritual experiences to the strict logician does not resonate with their innermost being. So they have other ways to feel alive, perhaps with more logic and rationality and that works for them.People say that what we’re all seeking is a meaning for life. I don’t think that’s what we’re really seeking. I think what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonance within our own innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive. That’s what it’s all finally about- Joseph Campbell
There is also a danger that people think this means when it didn't work out or they didn't feel something it is because it is their fault...they didn't enough faith, or others don't have enough faith or they would have the same experiences we have as God promises ("I got a witness of the BoM, and I know you can with enough faith, if you didn't, you didn't have enough faith because I sure did."). There is danger in judging others' experiences or comparing ours to theirs.
I think people reflect back on experiences and decide what to make of them. They make it their own story, and based on what you have faith in, you can create meaning for things or not. For me, there is value in having mystical experiences to enhance my life. I have had some at times that I can provide no further explanation for it, and therefore fall back to my faith and believe it was of God. But I cannot predict what I will experience in the future...it is God's will. I can only reflect back on my experiences and use my faith to label it spiritual or not. (I would say I have far fewer experiences now than I used to...because I see things differently now and can accept that many things happen without God being involved in it. And I'm OK with that.)
But if I no longer have faith, my spiritual experiences will cease. I'm sure of it.