Truth

I was reading today and came across this line, “Don’t hide from the truth you need to hear.”

This guys was talking about feedback at work and even going to the doctor or dentist. It resonated with me because I was that guy. Often times I would hide from the truth I needed to hear. I knew areas I am weak in and struggle with at work and personally. I knew I needed to get a physical, yet avoided making an appointment.

About three years ago I got a heath screening and was shocked at the results. At the age of 36 they told me to go see my doctor right away. I had high cholesterol, high blood sugar, very low good cholesterol, was overweight and my blood pressure was not good. Needless to say, that truth got my attention. I began the long process of change in my physical health. You could say that the truth I was hiding from found me and shook me up. Well, three years later my cholesterol is down almost 100 points, my good cholesterol has more than doubled, my sugar is way down and my blood pressure is right on. I have lost weight and am exercising regularly. I have changed the way I eat and exercise and my perspective on health and food has changed.

All that made me think about other truth that we hide from. The Bible says that the truth will set you free. To be set free we need to face the truth and not hide. Adam & Eve hid from God after they sinned in the garden of Eden. We too, often try to hide from God when we sin or fall short. We look at some of our behavior and think, I can’t change, that is just how I am. We keep doing the same things over and over again and feel worse and worse after we do it. We usually only change after the truth shakes us up. To find out the truth maybe you need to ask for some feedback from those closest to you.

When was the last time you asked your spouse how you could be a better husband or wife? When was the last time you asked a friend the truth about yourself? When was the last time you felt God telling you to surrender that certain thing to Him? When was the last time you heard a message at church that hit you between the eyes? When truth hits us, it can sometimes bounce off of us. We can feel conviction, but not change. We know we should follow through, yet we don’t put into action what we know will be good for us. To really change you must make a decision that you want to change and that you will get the help you need to change.

You see I did not lose weight and get healthy by myself. I had my wife helping me, I had a coach I met with and a program I followed. If you want to change spiritually or emotionally, you must do the same thing. You need people around you to support and encourage you; to challenge and motivate you; to hold you accountable and push you. The Bible is full of truth for us to follow. When we apply those truths to our lives we grow, change, influence and impact people. When we take truth and put into into action we begin to change. Our perspective about God and other people begins to change. We start seeing things differently.

What truth are you hiding from? Is it the truth about money, possessions and work? How about relationships and marriage, or being single? What about the truth about our hearts or what we put into our minds? It may be the truth about eternal life or even physical health. Most people say they are searching for truth and want truth, yet most of us hide from the truth we need to hear.

Have you heard the phrase to speak the truth in love. When we know something is true, we are to speak it, not to hurt or destroy, but to lovingly help. Don’t think about speaking truth to someone unless you have built a bridge with that person. Otherwise they are not going to want to hear it from you. First build the relationship and trust, then wait for God to open the door to share whatever truth will help that person. If you want to be healthy spiritually, emotionally and physically you need to apply the truth from God’s Word to your everyday life. It starts with the little things that we know we should do. Build on that day by day and don’t procrastinate about things you know you need to face. Ask others for feedback on how they think you need to change, and don’t get offended when they are honest. Remember that only when the truth shakes you up do you begin to really change.