You can be told what is true by others or you can discover truth for yourself. Although we need both when you discover a truth for yourself something clicks inside you or the light bulb goes from off and suddenly you understand in a deeper way what you may have not understood before. This type of self-discovery leads to changes in one’s heart—deep change. And when a truth changes your heart, it becomes a part of you. You may even recite this truth to others. Or it may become one of the guiding principles of your life. As Ted Harro likes to say, “God wants adult kids in the family business. People who, with surrendered wills and baptized imaginations, partner with Jesus in surprising ways to make their corner of the earth look a little more like heaven.” People set free from the truth. Discovering the truth is not magic. It is intentional. It is also a spiritual endeavor. Jesus was, is and will always be the best teacher of the truth. He is the Truth. And the scriptures reveal to us the truth about God, creation and where we enter the story. People have a hunger to know the deep truths of God and their purpose in this world—why they were born and what exactly are they here for? With all the competing messages and the streams of constant texting, social media and digital forms of communication, it is quite possible to miss the truth. Our identity gets clouded, we get confused and no longer have a clear idea of what or who to believe. Messages today come to us so quickly and at such a fast speed that discovering the truth for yourself becomes almost impossible and nonetheless complex to sort through. However, if we retreat, if we disengage from the world if only for a few moments of quiet prayer time, or if we turn off all devices for an hour to sit quietly and intentionally before God, taking inventory of our lives and scanning the horizon of new possibility you will be amazed at how God responds to you. Solitude is a wonderful experience. Remember God is speaking His truths to us throughout our daily activities. Try it, take a pause and reflect on your life. You will be surprised at all the undiscovered truths that will surface and set you free from all the clutter that pervades the human heart. Prayer Lord, teach me to pause, to take note of all the competing voices, that inner chatter that happens in my mind and heart and help me to make an open space for you to speak your truth. I hold open a space right now…Speak Lord, your servant is listening. Amen.