“Behold, Thou dost desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part Thou wilt make me know wisdom.” – Psalm 51:6, NASB
Whispering in my mind, this verse settled convincingly. Though seemingly unconnected to current thoughts, it comprised the answer to my request, “Father, please give me a verse to write about.” So here it is. And here am I. Sitting, typing, not knowing how this will develop … yet listening as He speaks.
Revelation #1: God desires His truth to shape our deepest thoughts.
How many times are we guilty of allowing the enemy’s lies to infiltrate our minds? I’ll be first to admit falling prey to his wearisome cycle of accusations and anxieties. Graciously the Lord has opened my eyes, however, to the first piece of spiritual armor: truth! “Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH …” (Ephesians 6:14). Surely I’m a slow learner–thankfully God exercises patience. Now, when the devil’s lies begin to trouble and torment me, I often realize my need to ask God, “Is this You? Is this true? If not, please take these thoughts away.” And amazingly my simple childlike plea works every time! Better yet, “girding my loins with truth” as each day begins seriously obstructs the enemy’s wiles–before he can get started. It either stops him in his tracks or at least heightens my awareness when he strikes. God’s truth protects us.
Revelation #2: When truth shapes our deepest thoughts, God imparts His wisdom.
Indeed, wisdom is the next step. Because wisdom equals the proper application of knowledge, we can’t have wisdom without truth. And the wisdom God gives flows from Christ’s character, for He IS truth (John 14:6), the one “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3).
Revelation #3: God’s truth leads us to be honest with ourselves.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about honesty … Most people know it is wrong to lie to someone else, but have you ever thought about the consequences of lying to yourself? … Do you lie to yourself about the severity of your unhealthy habits? Do you lie to yourself about the status of your marriage/relationships? Do you lie to yourself about the strength of your relationship with God? Do you lie to yourself to justify your actions? How long do you think it will be before you can no longer differentiate between the truth and a lie in your own mind?” – Lydia Ingrassia
The truth of God within not only protects us, it also enables us to comprehend truth about ourselves. Are there relationship fractures in our lives? Do we keep finding ourselves in the same miserable situation time after time after time? Hmmm … maybe we need to ask the Lord to shine His light of truth into the alienated recesses of our “hidden part.” We might not like what we see, but our character won’t improve until we start with the truth.
Lord, I love that “grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17, NIV), and that You ARE truth. Truth be told, YOU are all I need in my innermost being, my hidden part. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
photo credit: Lotus Carroll via photopin cc
