How can I know the Truth?
That is no small question. Often, we treat the Truth as if it is some slippery fish that will wiggle out of our hands, or worse. We act as if it is based on some hard-to-understand algorithm that we will never understand.
But Truth, the All Truth of God, is always reachable, always present. But we must develop a hunger for it, a sensitivity to it, and a willingness to be shaped by it.
What is that process?
Again, God’s Word was my spotlight to show me the most important way to find Truth.
It is simple, but not easy.
When Jesus was preparing his followers for life without his flesh and blood presence, He told them that His Spirit would be with them. This was more than just the memory of all he was. This was about the ongoing, very real Presence of all of who Jesus was, is, and would be. To these confused disciples, he said,
The Sprit of Truth will guide you into all truth. John 16:13
If the Spirit of Jesus is my guide into ALL truth, then I must to believe that whatever truth I need, the ever-present Spirit of Jesus will communicate it. However, I must listen for Him and not move ahead until I hear from Him.
The backside of this truth is this: I don’t have all the truth about anything. Not about the person who hurt me or misunderstood me, not about a circumstantial change or a future possibility. I must depend on the Spirit of Truth to guide me to whatever truth I need for the moment or the day or the season of life.
I have realized that if I don’t allow Jesus’ Spirit to be my trusted guide into truth, I could choose wrong, treat a person wrong, or take someone else’s twisted logic as truth.
This is when I learned what I will never stop teaching and sharing: if you really want the Truth, you must ask for it. Truth is a Siamese twin to wisdom. They are inseparable. Ask for Truth and you get wisdom. Ask for wisdom and you get the Truth.
Don’t ever take for granted that because you are a Christian and believe that Jesus is Truth, it just falls into your lap whenever you need it. I must ask the Holy Spirit to be my guide. If I expect Truth to come without an invitation, Truth eludes me; and I am left to my own best thoughts. So very dangerous!
Think about it. Why would God not want us to live our lives by all Truth? While I start with the truth in my heart (last week's post-you can read it here), I take the next step and ask for a guide who always knows the way to Truth.
Once when Lisa came home from a bad experience at school that she blamed on the teacher, I asked my Truth Guide to show me what neither one of us could see with our limited surface look tangled in the emotions we both felt. He showed me that Lisa felt embarrassed about something the teacher made her do. We worked on what to do when she didn’t know something instead of blaming the teacher.
Truth makes a difference!
Another time I had a work relationship that frustrated me and made it difficult to want to work with this person. My first prayers were selfish: make her easier to work with! Then, I asked the Holy Spirit to guide me into the Truth that would make a difference. He did. He showed me her insecurity that I did not see and could not feel with all her bluster. He taught me to affirm her. Amazingly, the relationship changed. Truth make a difference.
There is no substitute for Truth. Feelings detour Truth. Insecurities block it. Past hurts make ghost appearances. Each may share parts of a truth, but there is always a bigger Truth. And only Spirit of Truth can point you to it.
Here’s my prayer. I hope you will make it yours!
Sharing the journey!
Debbie