Nothing But the Truth

Truth is, many times we seek God’s truth but cannot handle it.

Why is this?

While we ask for His truth, we position our hearts and minds to only receive those truths that will benefit us and appeal to our own desires and agendas. If we somehow realize that God’s truth doesn’t align with what we expected or wanted, we may find ourselves resisting, drifting, or disobeying.

What if His truth is unpleasant, hurtful, shameful, lack-luster, or exposing to our present conditions? What if His truth entails nothing we have imagined or built our lives upon believing and practicing? What if it seemingly disrupts our life goals, reputation, image, or self-made identity?

What if everything that we have desired for ourselves is nothing that He intended when He both created and wove us into His plan?

One song that comes to mind is “Yes” by Shekinah Glory (Listen here: https://youtu.be/nvsYcuO6B4w). The height of this song is “If I told you what I really need, will your heart and soul say yes?”. The heart is the Spirit, the Soul is the mind or will. To my Sisters who are Believers, how deeply do you desire the Lord’s truth? Better yet, how ready are you to obey that truth?

I (unhappily) admit that I have undergone more than one Root Canal procedure. Before the actual procedure, the amount of pain that I experienced as a result of the decay was pretty bad. Still, I was more shaken by the perceived pain and process of the Root Canal itself. Since it wasn’t something I had ever imagined needing, I was scared and resistant to go forward with it. I was overtaken with anxiety the weeks and hours leading up to the procedure. I hyperventilated on the day of my appointment as I sat in the chair with the protective sunshades on that patients are given to protect their eyes. I even stopped the procedure 3 times to ask for more numbing medication. At that point I don’t know if I actually felt any pain or if it was my apprehension and fear that was producing imagined pain! I was a nervous wreck!

As I sat in the chair for almost an hour, I was totally powerless, but I knew that the Dentist knew what he was doing. He had the credentials, the experience, and the dental practice. I also knew that the unpleasantness of the procedure itself was better than the decay I was living with. That root canal was so unpleasant because it went deeply into the decay to clean it out completely. In order to clean, you’ve got to dig and scrub (this literally happens during the process Ladies, it feels brutal!)

When we live a life supported by human foundations, there is decay. Left unchecked, that decay spreads, weakens, and eventually kills – such as it did with the nerve of my tooth.

“For the wages of sin is death…”. Romans 6:23 (KJV)”…and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” James 1:15 (KJV)

There is a difference between the pain caused by lies and the pain caused by truth. My decaying tooth was painful because it was leading to death (infection, decay, and ultimately needing to be removed). The Root Canal was painful but was leading to life (the preservation of my tooth). Both painful, but for completely different reasons and with extremely different outcomes.

Now some of you more technical gals may say, “Sure Hannah, you didn’t have to have your tooth pulled, but it’s still dead!”. Well, that is true technically. A Root Canal includes the removal of the tooth’s nerve due to the extent of the decay. But process this, when you are pulled out of the decay of lies (sin) and brought into God’s truth, it doesn’t mean that the wounds and evidence of that former decay miraculously disappear. Similarly, when you look at my treated teeth, they look different from my natural teeth and are missing nerves. What I will say is that where there would have been empty spaces in my mouth, are teeth that were saved, preserved, and given a second chance. And, while the teeth no longer have nerves, they still serve a purpose, they are still usable, and guess what? The decay and pain are totally gone!

I am somewhere between wanting to laugh and cry after writing that last paragraph. First, because I never imagined using my Root Canals as metaphors for anything, and secondly, because I realized how REAL that metaphor is in depicting the story of redemption – how God takes our decay and rather than considering us spoiled goods and tossing us out (which is what should have happened), He cleanses through the blood of Jesus, saves us, and uses us. Wow!

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus), that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 (KJV)

I am looking forward to sharing my own story of redemption and how my life changed on a cold winter night in the parking lot of a grocery store. The details will be shared in my coming eBook, “The Sound of Deliverance”. What I will say now is that my life was full of decay. I hadn’t allowed God’s truth to enter and deep clean me. Had I not been delivered from that decay that night in the parking lot, I would have very well kept on decaying until death happened – and it had already started spiritually.

So my sister, how ready are you for truth?

“…If ye continue in my word, then you are my disciples (followers indeed). And ye shall know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8:31-32 (KJV)

“Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.” Ps 86:11

“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17

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