As I read various articles, books and news reports, I'm aware that they all influence me. Most are opinions and some even have an element of truth. Just saying that makes me STOP in my tracks. I am reading and being influenced by the opinions of others and some of what I am influenced by may even lack complete truthfulness. I read everything from leadership principles to political views and religious and cultural trends. I think it's time to do a reality check and look to a more consistent source of truth. There is only one place for that, in my "opinion", but also from my personal experience. My source of truth has always been through God's Word; in scripture. It has what this world and its opinions cannot offer.
In scripture God encourages me; He convicts me; He examines me; He excites me; He humbles me; He teaches me; He loves me. In scripture God comes alive to me. He opens my eyes up to the full context of His truth, His love for me, and His amazing grace and relentless pursuit of me.
Oh, I know it is okay to still ingest a healthy amount of information in and from this world because one needs to keep abreast of the times we are in. Being ignorant is not an option in these days and times. However, today's revelation has re-enforced what I already knew. I must ingest far more of God's Word and truth than the world's information. That is a healthy diet and equation. That is a formula for peace. My inner scale must tip in the favor of knowing God and His truth and allowing Him to help my wade through all the muddy waters of anything else that I may ingest.
If my intake of God's Word is consistent, my knowledge of God will grow and my walk with Him will become consistent. My life and my actions will reflect what I read upon the pages of scripture; my Christian walk will be a testimony of grace, truth and redemption. My outward life will reflect my inward content. I have always known this, but it seems as if I go on unplanned diets every now and then. I don't feed my hunger to know God and His Word in a more intimate way. I don't fully activate God's Spirit within me. My bad! I know where my help comes from. My responsibility is to ingest the meal my Savior has prepared, to partake in the full banquet.
So, today, my observations are simple. Why in the world would I waste my time, energy and efforts reading and ingesting such a large volume of things that bring no eternal benefit? And, why, on the other hand, would I not spend so much more of my time, energy and efforts ingesting the treasure and truth of scripture in God's Word? The answer seems like a no-brainer, but I need help remaining consistent. We all do. Left to our own devices, we tend to drift and become complacent. We start to look more to the world for our answers and inspiration than to God's Word, the source of the best answers and inspiration in the entire Universe. My prayer is that the Holy Spirit of God continually prompts me to eat from His table and feast upon His Word. It will keep me satiated and in perfect peace.
So, today I find myself grateful for the way God reminds me to listen to His small still voice. I'm thankful that His Holy Spirit, who lives within me, draws me to a place of introspection and truth, a place where He can teach me to look to Him and draw my views and my truth only from Him. I'm thankful that He will always help me to sort out the rest. First thing's first….maintain a healthy diet with an over-abundance of God's Word and truth. It always secures His Presence; His best plan for me and my life.
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