relentless pursuit of the Truth

I took my puppy for a long walk this morning, knowing that the bunnies would be out.  It was still cool, and our neighborhood is filled with bunnies.  The puppy has an eye for them and he is always on the lookout.  One of our neighbors has a section of landscaping that is filled with bunny-looking rocks...perfect size, shape, and color.  As we neared their yard, Buddy started tugging on his leash.  I looked to the rock area, but I only saw rocks until I stopped and looked closer.  Smack dab in the middle was a bunny sitting perfectly still and pretending to be a rock.  Buddy saw it immediately, but I had to take a second look.

God often uses situations like this one to teach me and this morning was no exception.  I've been praying John 8:32 for myself..."And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."  I've believed a myriad of lies about myself that were whispered to me by the father of lies (see John 8:44)...the enemy, the devil...throughout my life.  As I thought about the bunny in the rocks, I saw the strategy of the devil.  He hides the truth with his lies.  He makes his lies look just enough like the truth, that God's children believe them, and then he uses the lies to kill, steal, and destroy us.  The devil convinces us that when a thought is in our heads, it must be true!  (My brain is no more reliable than the internet!)  I'll be the first to admit that I've fallen for the devil's deception...over and over again.  NO MORE!

My prayer has been that God would shine a spotlight on the truth so I simply cannot miss it.  God's truth brings with it love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  (Galatians 5:22-23)  The devil's lies bring the opposite...fear, anxiety, worry, anger, impatience, etc.  It's my job to decide which thoughts take up residence in my brain...the truth or the lies.  Philippians 4:8 says, "And now dear brothers and sisters, one final thing.  Fix your thoughts on what is TRUE, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.  Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." 

We have responsibilities in the relentless pursuit of the Truth.  #1 Identify what is true and hold on to it.  #2 Identify what is false and get rid of it!  #3 Think on the things that are true.  A brain occupied with truth has no room for lies! 

The devil whispers his subtle lies to me all the time.  At this very moment, he has planted the thought in my mind, "Don't publish this.  Don't share it.  No one will read it and you will feel rejected.  Why bother?"  The truth is that writing this solidified the truth for me, and maybe no one else will get anything out of it, but I am okay with that.  Or maybe, one other person will grab hold of this life changing truth...and that would be even better!  Regardless, I am in relentless pursuit of the Truth!  Will you join me?