“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32 NKJV
How do you know when you have discovered the truth about something?
You should feel free, liberated and all other synonyms you can think of.
But for many facts that we’ve discovered, accepted or used as guiding principles for our lives, do they all make us feel liberated?
Not quite.
And the reason is simple: many of us still base our values, beliefs and principles on what we think is the truth, even though they make us feel trapped, limited or guilty.
Sometimes we know we should reevaluate these values, but for some reason, exploring the unknown just feels like we’re betraying what we’ve stood for all our lives.
Seeking to understand the truth doesn’t mean exploring what you’ve previously believed is a lie. It simply means studying deeper in search of that missing element that makes the difference.
It doesn’t mean dumping your already existing values, but identifying why you uphold such values.
It doesn’t mean changing your belief or faith, but clarifying why you have such beliefs and asking questions where necessary in order to understand.
For example, many Christians go to church because our parents always went to Church and took us along. So whenever we don’t want to go, we feel like we’re betraying our parents and so the guilt drives us out of bed.
In seeking the truth, you choose to learn more about the reason behind the church in the first place, which is Christ. And as you discover the truth about Him through the Word, you desire to go to Church, not because your parents said it, but because you have discovered the importance of fellowship and you desire it.
It’s the same thing for work. You work not because you like what you do but because you’ve been made to believe that its sole purpose is to earn. So the pressure of putting food on the table drives you out of bed every morning.
In seeking the truth, you start to question why you feel so sad every day and you begin to recognise those who are like you and those who aren’t. In probing further, you realise that something else drives those who are different from you – a sense of fulfilment. As you discover the truth and find out God’s view about work, you start to redefine your why and go to work, feeling purposeful, because you desire it.
Hopefully, these two examples help you understand how to seek the truth.
Now it’s your turn to identify what makes you feel the opposite of freedom and start to question why. Dig deeper to understand and the revelation will hit you.
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