SOMETIMES THE TRUTH IS HARD TO FACE

Truth.  Who defines it?  What is truth?  How do we know what is the truth?

Many of us have very different definitions of what is truth, but for me my truth definition is simple.  God's word is the only truth I truly know.  For me the Bible is indisputable truth.  I have believed that for all of my life.  I have not been brainwashed into believing this so don't even go there.  I have lived in this truth and trust me, this truth I know has made me who I am today.  

Maybe your truth is different.  Maybe you never came across anything or anyone who was truthful.  As for me, I have truly clung to the truth of the Bible.  For me, the truth in the Bible gives me strength and hope.  It gives me promises that have changed me and given me a peace of understanding that I cannot explain in words.  

Truth is also a double edged sword, much like the Bible (God's Word).  It can uplift us and give us peace but it can also convict us.  Notice I did not say condemn us.  God does not condemn us, He wants to point out the things in our lives we need to change.  Sometimes that truth about ourselves is hard to face.  

I know for me personally when I hear a truth about myself that is not pretty, I want to run and hide.  I cover my ears and pretend I didn't hear what I just heard.  I don't want to face the reality of who I really am.  Hiding from the truth does not make it go away.  In fact it actually makes it worse.  It is only when I look in the mirror and face the reality of who I am and accept the truth of what I need to let God change in me, it is only then that the truth has set me free.

I need to hear the truth, I need to live the truth.  I need to read the truth.  But how do we know what id truth and what is a lie?  Well for me, I listen to the Spirit of Truth given to me when I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.  This Holy Spirit leads to me truth, no matter how painful the truth is.

John 14:16-17  And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.  He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it isn't looking for Him and doesn't recognize Him. But you know Him, because He lives with you now and later will be in you. 

If you are not looking for the truth, you will not recognize Him.  There are many church goers who do not recognize the Spirit of Truth because they know the truth can be hard to face.  The Holy Spirit has nothing to do with "religion" and everything to do with relationship.  Churches are full of people who want to have the Holy Spirit in their lives but are unwilling to face the truth about themselves.  

I was confirmed in 8th grade, along with all my fellow classmates.  Even though I was told that the Holy Spirit was coming to live in me at that point, I was not ready to face the Spirit of truth.  To be honest I don't think many of us did.  For me that is not how I received the Holy Spirit, it was by believing and confessing with my mouth that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.  For me that was when the Holy Spirit came upon me and I was able to receive the Spirit of Truth.  I was looking for Him!  I recognized Him!  I was willing to face the truth about myself!  

This Spirit of Truth lives in me!  I know Him personally!  We talk all the time and He has changed me from the inside out.  Trust me I am still a work in progress, but my truth lies in Jesus Christ.  My truth is revealed to me by the Holy Spirit of the Living God which dwells in me.  My truth gives me peace, joy, patience and never ending love.   What's your truth?

May the truth of Jesus Christ invade your hearts and minds today,  May we learn to face the truth of ourselves no matter how hard it is to face.  May we allow the Holy Spirit to change us, in Jesus name I pray, amen!