My choice: deception or truth?

Once we begin our spiritual journey, the Holy Spirit is at work to open our eyes so we might discover areas in our life in which we have been deceived. This is considered to be the most painful part of the process of growing up into a mature and spiritual Christian. This was true in my life.

“You are self-righteous”

Some years ago, my husband and I were in the midst of a heated conflict, when he angrily came out with the words, “You are so self-righteous.” Ouch! These words pierced my heart and I hurt. I cried loudly as if a great injustice had been done to me. Yet at the same time, on the inside, I knew it was true. I was indeed a very self-righteous woman. But I certainly did not like hearing it or seeing it, let alone admit it. Yet in seeing the truth, I was set free; I was healed of my own self-righteousness. And we found more peace and joy in our marriage.

So why did I not want to see this truth? Here I was, a woman who loved God and wanted to grow in His ways, yet I fought like a cornered wildcat when confronted with the truth about myself.

Seeing truth is painful

The answer can be found partly in the thought that it was too painful for me. This truth fractured my image of my self, an image that I fought to project and maintain. But my husband and my family knew the image I projected was not true.

We also do not like changing the way we see things. We prefer to live with the lie rather than with the truth. When I told a friend about what I had discovered about myself, he said, “I could have told you this a long time ago, but I knew you would not have received it.”

Truth can be very painful―it is painful to break my illusions of something, somebody or myself. How many of you have been disillusioned in your life? This is a very good thing. We need this to happen, because our lives must be built on truth, not illusions of what we want or expect people to be.

Make a commitment to truth

At some point in our spiritual journey, we must make a commitment to truth no matter what it costs—in both the psychological and the spiritual dimensions of our lives—if we want to become more spiritually alive, healed, and whole.

Oh, send out Thy light and Thy truth, let them lead me; Let them bring me to Thy holy hill, and to Thy dwelling places, Then I will go to the altar of God, to God the gladness of my joy (Psalms 43:3-4).

Rely on the Holy Spirit

We need the Holy Spirit to be active in our lives, because He is the one who will help us to see the truth that will set us free.

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot received, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you. (John 14:16-18)

 

When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come (John 16:13).

Note: See my Bible Study on Truth and Lies.

Zoom groups

We just completed two seven-week e-groups on Issue-Focused Inner Healing Ministry. We enjoyed witnessing the love and power of God touch the lives of people in our groups.

In November we will begin new e-groups (using Zoom): KMI-202, The Work of the Holy Spirit on Thursday evening and Friday afternoon.

We will also offer KMI-303, Issue-Focused Inner Healing Ministry on Monday evening. More information to follow.