Study God’s Word to Discern Truth and Reality

My parents tell a story about an occasion when they were a young married couple and visited my maternal grandmother. They were all watching a TV program or movie in which there was a fierce rainstorm. After the show was over, my mom and dad announced to her mother that they were leaving to head home. At that point my grandmother loudly protested, “What? You’re not going out in this pouring rain, are you?” In spite of the nice weather outside, she had allowed what she had just watched on TV to cause her to momentarily lose sight of reality.

It reminds me of an incident that took place on Christmas Day as we were together with family. My teenage grandson was letting his two-year-old cousin wear his new headphones while the sound of falling rain was being played on that device. After listening for a moment, the little guy ran to a nearby window to look outside as if expecting to see the rain he was hearing.

Hopefully we’re not quite that susceptible to being deceived by what we listen to or see. However, those stories remind us how we can be influenced by what we allow to enter our minds. If we’re not careful, we can find ourselves losing our grip on reality while giving credence to lies, fantasies, or half-truths. In some cases we get caught up in false narratives because they are so widely received or so well-packaged. Other times we accept truth alternatives because what they suggest may be more pleasant or easier for us to deal with than the hard truth of reality.

As we progress into this new year I believe one of our big needs as followers of Jesus is for discernment. We need to pray for the Lord to help us in being able to recognize the true from the false and the real from the fake. While His Spirit working in us and guiding us can certainly play a major role in that endeavor, we have a part to play, too. We need to be wise about what information we are constantly allowing to bombard our minds, as well as to whom we’re choosing to listen. Unfortunately I’m finding that some of the sources I once relied on for valid information aren’t as trustworthy as they once were. That can apply to news services, internet sights, radio personalities, and preachers. So what do we do? To whom do we listen? Where do we go to find truth and reality?  

Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). We should look to the Lord as our main and most reliable source for truth. Other purveyors of information may stray off course or be unduly influenced by societal pressure to change their views. However, the truth of God is eternal. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Who He is, His teachings, and His commandments for us don’t change.

So I would encourage us to make it a priority to spend more time in God’s Word this year. The Bible is still our main source of truth. And in spite of what many teach today, it’s still our most reliable source. God can reveal truth in other ways, but those all need to align with what He says in His written Word. And don’t just depend on others, not even preachers, to faithfully convey its truths to you. Read it and discover it for yourself.

Know what is going on in the world, but don’t get caught up in its sometimes false view of reality. Study God’s Word and cling to what is eternally true and real.