Category Archives: SPIRITUAL INTEREST

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Speak Truth with Love

If you have been a part of the local church for all or most of your adult years, you have heard the comment about how we are to answer difficult questions. Especially when question is a biblical one. We’ve been told to answer with love and truth. At times we answer the questions quite well. But other times, we don’t do so well. We tend to be heavy on the love and carefully mention the truth. We get a little scared about truth, that is, if the truth is a uncomfortable one. But all of us must know the truth or we are giving an incomplete message.

I don’t know about you, but I think most people want to hear the truth. We must be gentle with the truth. And we need to be wise in how we say the truth. It takes a gentleness with holiness to speak the truth in love. However, there is a careful way to bring the two concepts, love and truth, together. First, let’s take a look at love, to figure out what love looks like in a spiritual format. Then let’s look at truth and why it’s important to emphasize it, as well. We need to have a clear understanding of both, love and truth.

I always loved. Maybe you were that way too. The German way was to show it rather than say it. I didn’t hear the word ‘love’ said often, but it was there, always. I just always knew that I was loved by my parents and by my siblings. Not everyone is a lucky as I was. They may live many years without knowing that they are loved. I remember going on this date back in my single days and the guy didn’t believe me when I said my parents loved me. They rarely said it, and he didn’t believe it. We only went out one time, but I’ve never forgotten what he said. It was really kind of hard to explain what I meant.

How Shall We Answer People?

Love is more of a presence. You can feel whether a person loves you or not. Love shows in a myriad of ways. It goes the extra mile. It does the extra courtesy. It seeks to help, and it does more than expected. It even bears hard burdens. Real love is noticeable. However, love doesn’t always make the journey easier or better. Some people will walk all over the kind person and not even think about it. It is one of those things that is not always dished back. Just because you love doesn’t mean you’ll be loved back. But love anyway.

Truth, though, has an imperceptible but good quality. To hear truth in a right way means it must be given out of love. What do I mean? Let me explain it this way. Truth is easy to disregard as unimportant. Some truth is hard to accept. People do not want the truth if it disregards their feelings. Truth tells the truth…always. But, surely, truth must be carefully given or it will not be seen as truth or it will be uncomfortable or unclear. And sometimes truth, what is truth, is hard to hear and bear. But if you speak the truth in love it is easier to understand and accept.

How Do We Combine Love with Truth?

Some things take much time and effort. I think speaking truth, what is true, is easier to accept when love is present. People lie all the time, and I get that. But you don’t need to. Speak the truth in love in a difficult situation. When it matters, it makes a difference. Even when it doesn’t matter, it makes a difference. Sometimes, you have to be quiet, and they get it. Regardless of how you feel, be truthful. Keep your thoughts to yourself, when necessary. At my father’s funeral (age 93) I learned something about him that I didn’t realize. It was told by one of my siblings. He said that my father would leave the room and go to another room when the talk gravitated to someone’s ‘wrong’ behavior. He preferred not to hear it, and by leaving the room he chose to not hear it. That impressed me. What a good way to be. I wish I’d figured that one out.

Really, it pays to figure it out. As I have grown older I am becoming more able to live in love and truth. Partly because I am more at peace with myself. I’m not so afraid about speaking truth now. Like a mixed salad, it tastes richer and fuller when it has more types of veggies in it. Truth is better when mixed with love. The two go hand in hand together. If you overdo the one, it becomes noticeable. Our personalities differ and we will tend to go one way or the other but we do best when both truth and love are present. True love and true truth are best when they are together. We need truth and we need love. Period. If we know the truth we are more certain to walk in it. The same with love.

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Don’t Forget to Pray

Sometimes it seems a little crazy but it’s so easy to push your prayer out of the way when there are too many things grabbing your attention. It seems like when I’m busy, I get out of the habit of taking the time for lengthy prayer sessions. I don’t mean to ignore my praying but I find it easy to get distracted. I read the word easily enough but the praying seems to take a back seat.

You see, I get distracted by my own thoughts. I don’t have the TV on but I’m busy with other things. I know what I need to do. God knows the way to help me. I need to ask Him. I need to trust that He will help me. Ever since my stroke I’ve had some trouble concentrating. That’s part of it, anyway. I should ask God to help me…when I pray. That seems kind of weird but I think I’ll ask Him.

I know God delights in showing us His truths. Prayer is a foundational component of the Christian walk. I think of the prayer warriors I’ve known. They don’t advertise their times of prayer. My mother just popped in my brain. I remember her well. She would have her Bible in her lap and a pencil and notebook in hand. After she cooked our breakfast, my sisters and I had our fifteen minutes of practicing the piano before we would catch the bus. Mother would sit on the couch and I believe she was praying for us and the day we would have in school and for the days and weeks ahead.

Every day was the same. Mother’s Bible was well marked. I especially remember her ‘quiet time’ before we went out to take bus to school. I wonder if my siblings remember this. I wonder what my children remember. Do they remember me praying? I hope they do. Quiet people of prayer are responsible for great movements of God. Our prayers mean a lot to God. Yet, not all prayers make it. We need to pray to God, not pray for the approval of our sisters and brothers in the faith. The sincere prayer matters.

Every person prays according to their uniqueness. But their prayers address the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. It is quite wonderful when you think of it. We get to talk to our Father in Heaven. We honor, praise and worship the Son of God. We are taught by the Holy Spirit. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work together and we get to be a part of their work on the earth!

Whenever we pray we are addressing Them. It is mind blowing to think of it. Why should God even want to hear from us? And He loves us. He cares for our needs. God is making us into His children forever and ever. And we get to talk to Him. Praying is beautiful, worthwhile, endearing, hard work at times, from our heart to His, and much more than this.

God teaches us to pray when we are interested in learning. He guides us to when we decide to listen. I love to listen for Him. He speaks in the stillness. His voice often comes when I have been seeking Him a while, and then, the thoughts from God take a majestic appearance. I don’t actually hear Him, but they’re as real as real can be. His words are quiet but firm. They speak loudly to my whispering soul. It is quite special when He speaks, for He waits for me to be ready. Sometimes I am not ready. Sometimes He doesn’t speak to me. Sometimes He is waiting until the time is right. But then, oh then.

Christians tend to get a lot of things backwards when it comes to spiritual life. I know this by my first hand experience. You can’t make God talk to you. He comes when our attitude is right and when He sees fit. He works in His own way. You want to hear Him? Wait and ask. Seek God and you will find Him. Trust Him and you’ll be glad you did. Find Him and He proves that He is worth the wait and effort it takes. God loves us. I am so glad He does. Be patient. Be kind. Be courteous.

Thank you for reading my post. God be with you. Any questions? I’ll do my best. Again, God Be with You!