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You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free
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Truth is a very powerful force. It brings light where there is darkness. It brings clarity where there is confusion. It can impact an entire nation just as easily as it can impact a single individual. I am not talking about subjective truth. I am talking about facts. Sometimes our greatest conflicts can be solved by a simple dose of factual truth. It is like an alka seltzer for our souls and spirits. It can diffuse even the worst case of emotional turmoil. I have an example that will help explain what I mean. Suppose you work in an office with lots of other people. One of your coworkers has been very moody. They have been rude, agitated, confrontational, and downright mean. The entire office is abuzz with gossip and indignation at this coworkers behavior. This has created an environment of turmoil and conflict. And like everyone else, you have taken a stand of offense in the light of this awful behavior. So you feel angry, you judge this person. And you live your life with righteous indignation at the situation. This continues for a period of time and this coworker eventually is ostracized.
Now inject a dose of simple factual truth. This coworkers spouse has just died suddenly, leaving behind no life insurance, three young children, and a lot of debt. How does this information affect your feelings and thoughts concerning the situation? You suddenly feel shame for such harsh judgement. You are overcome with compassion for them. Instead of righteous indignation, you feel sadness and pain for their situation. You go from wanting to tell them off, to wanting to help them in any way you can. Suddenly there is an excuse for their bad behavior. It diffuses the tension and anger, replacing it with an environment of compassion and cooperation in helping them. The true facts here are simply facts. They are not subjective to interpretation. Every one involved interprets these truths through their own filters. Some coworkers will feel confused because they have never experienced loss like this. Others will feel it very deeply because of their own personal experiences and history. Some will go into action mode and do something to help. Others will want to walk away in their own discomfort. We all react differently. But the one thing that stands firm is the truth. And this truth changes the situation completely.
Suppose you are experiencing some physical maladies in your body. You have symptoms that are pointing to some sort of problem. But you can’t figure out what it is all about. So you go to your doctor and run some tests. It can be very frustrating to have no idea what is going on inside of your body. Until you get answers, better yet, a diagnosis, you experience anxiety and stress. It is very easy to worry, to imagine the worst case scenario, and every disease you can think of looms over your head. It isn’t until you have an answer, an actual label to attach these symptoms to, that you get any relief. But imagine the relief when you have a name for what is happening to your body. It isn’t until that time that you are able to do anything about it. The truth, the facts about your situation, brings with it solutions to your problem. Suddenly you can move forward to get better. And imagine the relief if the problem is very minor and easily remedied. Again, there is a sense of freedom in having an answer. Before an answer comes it feels like you are trapped in a cell of the unknown with all its wild imaginings. But with the dose of the truth comes much freedom.
Jesus of Nazareth stated in John 8:32 of NIV Bible, “…you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” He understood what power truth could possess. Sometimes the truth isn’t pleasant. In fact, many times, the truth can be ugly and painful. A diagnosis of cancer is devastating. But it is the truth that can set you on the road to recovery. Not knowing the truth could be a difference between life and death. These are radical examples. However, truth comes in many shapes and sizes. If someone has lied to you and you happen to stumble upon it, it can feel really terrible. Sometimes we don’t want to know the truth. It can be easier to live our lives in illusion. But this illusion creates a bondage that leads to pain and torment. It can be a question of either living in ignorance or facing an ugly truth. Some of us just do not wish to live in the discomfort of truth. Some would prefer to live in blissful ignorance. The choice is given. I had the privilege of working with many people who have had the courage to face their own truths. And I can testify that facing these issues, truthfully and honestly, has brought these people peace, joy and wholeness. And the only way they attained these is through the power of the truth. The truth can set us free in so many ways. What truth do you face today? I challenge you to reach into it, accept it, allow it to change you and bring you the freedom you deserve.
Truth is a very powerful force. It brings light where there is darkness. It brings clarity where there is confusion. It can impact an entire nation just as easily as it can impact a single individual. I am not talking about subjective truth. I am talking about facts. Sometimes our greatest conflicts can be solved by a simple dose of factual truth. It is like an alka seltzer for our souls and spirits. It can diffuse even the worst case of emotional turmoil.
I have an example that will help explain what I mean. Suppose you work in an office with lots of other people. One of your coworkers has been very moody. They have been rude, agitated, confrontational, and downright mean. The entire office is abuzz with gossip and indignation at this coworkers behavior. This has created an environment of turmoil and conflict. And like everyone else, you have taken a stand of offense in the light of this awful behavior. So you feel angry, you judge this person. And you live your life with righteous indignation at the situation. This continues for a period of time and this coworker eventually is ostracized.
Now inject a dose of simple factual truth. This coworkers spouse has just died suddenly, leaving behind no life insurance, three young children, and a lot of debt. How does this information affect your feelings and thoughts concerning the situation? You suddenly feel shame for such harsh judgement. You are overcome with compassion for them. Instead of righteous indignation, you feel sadness and pain for their situation. You go from wanting to tell them off, to wanting to help them in any way you can. Suddenly there is an excuse for their bad behavior. It diffuses the tension and anger, replacing it with an environment of compassion and cooperation in helping them. The true facts here are simply facts. They are not subjective to interpretation. Every one involved interprets these truths through their own filters. Some coworkers will feel confused because they have never experienced loss like this. Others will feel it very deeply because of their own personal experiences and history. Some will go into action mode and do something to help. Others will want to walk away in their own discomfort. We all react differently. But the one thing that stands firm is the truth. And this truth changes the situation completely.
Suppose you are experiencing some physical maladies in your body. You have symptoms that are pointing to some sort of problem. But you can’t figure out what it is all about. So you go to your doctor and run some tests. It can be very frustrating to have no idea what is going on inside of your body. Until you get answers, better yet, a diagnosis, you experience anxiety and stress. It is very easy to worry, to imagine the worst case scenario, and every disease you can think of looms over your head. It isn’t until you have an answer, an actual label to attach these symptoms to, that you get any relief. But imagine the relief when you have a name for what is happening to your body. It isn’t until that time that you are able to do anything about it. The truth, the facts about your situation, brings with it solutions to your problem. Suddenly you can move forward to get better. And imagine the relief if the problem is very minor and easily remedied. Again, there is a sense of freedom in having an answer. Before an answer comes it feels like you are trapped in a cell of the unknown with all its wild imaginings. But with the dose of the truth comes much freedom.
Jesus of Nazareth stated in John 8:32 of NIV Bible, “…you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” He understood what power truth could possess. Sometimes the truth isn’t pleasant. In fact, many times, the truth can be ugly and painful. A diagnosis of cancer is devastating. But it is the truth that can set you on the road to recovery. Not knowing the truth could be a difference between life and death. These are radical examples. However, truth comes in many shapes and sizes. If someone has lied to you and you happen to stumble upon it, it can feel really terrible. Sometimes we don’t want to know the truth. It can be easier to live our lives in illusion. But this illusion creates a bondage that leads to pain and torment. It can be a question of either living in ignorance or facing an ugly truth. Some of us just do not wish to live in the discomfort of truth. Some would prefer to live in blissful ignorance. The choice is given. I have had the privilege of working with many people who have had the courage to face their own truths. And I can testify that facing these issues, truthfully and honestly, has brought these people peace, joy and wholeness. And the only way they attained these is through the power of the truth. The truth can set us free in so many ways. What truth do you face today? I challenge you to reach into it, accept it, allow it to change you and bring you the freedom you deserve.
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