How do we find truth?

This crazy, wonderful world of which we reside is a truly hot mess.

Does anyone disagree? Anyone? 

If I were to post that, I’m sure there is someone out there that would love to spew hate to ignite an argument. As a matter of fact, it’s a guarantee! The evidence is in the airways!

While scrolling through Twitter, an influencer popped up on my feed that I had never seen before. She most probably fit under my faith profile because she was claiming to be a Christian. She may very well be. I should not judge her but seriously aren’t we all a little skeptical? Lies are everywhere. I have no clue who to trust so I surf the airways and pray that I see and reject the lies and at the same time see and cling to the truth. This is not easy. So, I spend more time in the Word and in prayer than I do on social media… that’s my self-imposed rule. 

How do we decide who to trust? My trust barometer follows God’s guidance that He teaches us through His Word.

Here is my current list of indicators that I use as warnings:

Is the message critical in nature, focusing on putting others down? 

Is there divisive language, that promotes the us vs them agenda?

Is there hatred, building connection through a common enemy?

Is there a hidden agenda, a push of broken beliefs?

Indicators that allow me to continue to watch…

Do I hear humility?

Is there a sense of underlying joy and peace?

Does the messenger promote love and unity?

If someone has earned my trust, I can allow mercy for some misalignments… it’s impossible to meet those expectations at all times…and it is ok to disagree on some issues…we are human. I have to be open to learning where I may need to adjust, seeking truth not perfection.

The influencer of Twitter that I mentioned earlier, was sharing that she used to troll social media searching for any opportunity to spew hate speech just to steal people’s peace. Her goal was to rock people’s faith. She wanted to separate believers from their trust in God. She named this agenda herself. I have a sick feeling that she was incredibly successful and has left many well-intended, good-hearted people wounded. Words can cause a great deal of suffering. She was doing it intentionally.

Because of the trauma she admitted to causing, it will take a while for her to become one who wholeheartedly understands what it means to live life as a Christian. Even though she is and has always been a child of God, she’s been a follower of the deceiver for a long time. Likely she has suffered and used that suffering to inflict her pain on others. Hurting people hurt people. Most probably, unless God provides a miracle, it will take some time for her to reject the lies and believe the truth deeply enough to live it through her behavior.

She may have decided to follow Christ and she may be on the path to truth… 

But…

Until her demeanor and her actions match her words we must remain cautious.

I saw no humility in her (maybe this muscle needs to be strengthened).

I wonder why she is coming out so boldly at this time… my cautious mind says, if a follower of the deceptive one gains knowledge, it’s quite possible they will move into a different place of deception by changing the way they work to divide the followers of Christ. They could pretend to speak the new language of love when they don’t truly believe it. It’s just another way, perhaps an even more destructive way, to influence through evil tactics that are disguised in Christian language.

When one who has been caught in the trap of lies, turns their life around, a season of transition is necessary for transformation. The journey will take intention and time. Much is be learned, including naming the lies we thought were true. A new language must be learned. The voice of God, who is in the still small voice, must gain power over the voice of the deceiver, who is loud and noisy.

As I say this some of my favorite teachers who were not believers before are now speaking of Christ and his ways. I find a lot of joy in following the new believers. They bring forth the Gospel message through a new delivery system. They reveal truth but not from church language.

How do we know when one has truly decided to accept a personal relationship with Christ? 

Actually, I don’t think we can 100% know. This is where our faith in God must be greater than our faith in our fellow man. But we must be able to trust some… right?

Trust God first!

Discern through his Word and through prayer.

Then we can grow in trusting ourselves and in trusting others, knowing perfection is not the goal because it is unattainable.

We are human! We will fail! It is a guarantee! If that isn’t true, Christ would not have needed to die on that cross. He did it for our weakness, for all of the times we fall short, and He wholeheartedly believes that we are worth it! So why shouldn’t we trust Him? He has definitely proved to us of his unconditional love!

Trust Christ first and foremost!

Know humanity will screw up!

Trust can develop and grow but only earns respect if the actions align with the words.

We as a society have mastered the “do as I say, not what I do” philosophy. 

We see where that has gotten us.

The mess of chaos, corruption, deception of not knowing where to find truth. Honestly there is only one place, the Bible. The Holy message concerning the Trinity is the foundation we must dig in to.

I know, broken people have used the Bible as a weapon too. There is nothing the enemy won’t try. He uses the ones who think they know but haven’t humbled themselves enough to see through the dirty lens of their own confidence in themselves… they are pretending to know a God they haven’t wholeheartedly connected with. Academically they know what the text of the scripture says but they have not moved into the power of the Living Word, where the Holy Spirit waits. Their faith journey is incomplete, and they do not know it. They are blinded!

Hmm.. who blinds them?

It’s time to pay attention, discern evidence through character, actions, and follow through. Read the Living Word and seek Truth.

Know the fruit of the spirit (Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) and decide if the person speaking is producing that kind of fruit.

Is the fruit more productive or more destructive?

More pride or more humility?

More power and authority driven or more of an active learner who wants truth more than reputation?

When we understand this power, that we hold inside, by incorporating a practice of discernment, our decisions of input can shift from fuel for depression to life giving hope. Then the AI fills our feed with enjoyable, meaningful, content, instead of fear based, anxiety driven, paralyzing content that steals our joy.

But keep you antennas up because the AI will try to sneak things in to lead you slowly back into his fear based agenda… 

I may never see that influencer again, because I didn’t complete her video. I sensed she was just finding new ways to bring forth darkness. When I feel something going off, I stop and turn away.

I may be wrong… but protecting my peace is a battle I am not willing to compromise. If I make some mistakes in judgement of character, I can live with that.

Having said that… I believe everyone should have the opportunity to change. If she comes up again on my feed, I’ll watch it until I can’t. When I see the warning signs, I will move on to the next post. Maybe the next video is a baby laughing hysterically while swinging on a swing! I have no resistance to those pure innocent joyful noises in life!

Stay Blessed!

Lisa