The Truth about Truth

Sometimes it hurts. 

I don't like to be confronted, do you?  And when someone walks up to you and says, "We need to talk," it's usually a precursor to something unpleasant.  And I usually get my defenses up.

That happened to me yesterday.  But you know what?  I'm so grateful I'd spent a week asking God for Truth.   It put me in the right position.  Even though my defenses went up when I was confronted, I tried (tried being the key word here) to not overreact or to be unkind.  I tried to speak the truth in love to the person who confronted me.

There was a "suggestion" given that left me cold.  In fact, I left work crying.  (Alone, thank goodness!)  And I don't cry easily.  Andy let me cry on his shoulder and we just tried to stay busy the rest of the day.  (He's a great listener and defender!)

Last night, we went walking.  I'd worked through a lot during the afternoon and I was now ready to talk.  I asked him how he would handle the situation.  He was giving me some great advice and as he did, new thoughts began to flood my mind.  I believe God was giving them to me....Truth.  I began bouncing them off of him.  I don't believe I would have been in a position to hear them without having asked for Truth.

And you know what?  It wasn't all that far from the "suggestion" that person offered me.   Hmmmm......that is not what I expected.

This isn't the first time God's used Truth in my life this way.  Truth is a great pruning tool.  God uses it to lop off some of the dead stuff in my life.  Pruning can hurt.  But you know what?  It brings freedom.  And it yields new life.   Which is exactly why I'm hungry for it---and it keeps me coming back for more---regardless of the pain!  Isn't it interesting that Truth can be the same tool that cuts away dead stuff and yet births new fruit?  Kind of like a double-edged sword.   I'm grateful for the pain that has made me see something in me that needs changing.  And I'm anxious to see the new fruit and life ahead!