How do you know if you are hearing and receiving what you need to live well? There is enough information available for you to make many different choices that could lead you down multiple paths of life. There are compelling facts on global warming that could convince me to become a vegetarian. There are many emotionally charged campaigns that could persuade me to become politically vocal. There are facts that can convince me to give up on trying to live like there is a future. There is wisdom that could incite an elevation of thinking that changes your perspective and, in turn, your life. There are many stories that can tell you how to live, how not to live and who to blame for your current circumstance.
But you have a choice to be affected by all this information.
The scariest trend seen in our generation is the rise of post-truth thinking. It is the pinnacle of the belief that ‘everything is relative’. It allows every individual to choose their own ‘truth’ and splinters society into a chaotic mess of sub-genre’s of human existence. It justifies pride and could result in a subliminal ‘caste system’ for our souls. Everyone’s pain could then be expressed in any form without anyone being allowed to address the true root of it.
I know this may read like a rant, but I am concerned that today people can justify every selfish or dysfunctional choice they have made – without being given the opportunity to change. I believe that there is truth that is universal – that connects with humanity spiritually, emotionally and, ultimately, physically. But it requires us to stop trying to justify our situation – to shut up and listen for truth and wisdom. Here are a few things I have had to stop doing in order to actually receive the truth that will change me. They are symptoms to the sickness of proud self-analysis.
Reacting
Now I am not saying you need to ignore your emotional state – we always need to deal with how we feel. But a reaction is a spontaneous, unbridled response that can dictate your whole life moving forward. If you receive truth or wisdom and immediately react, I can guarantee you there is no way you will retain the true message that was conveyed to you. It may be feedback concerning your work, or a corrective rebuke from your oversight. It could be something you read and share on Facebook but never truly engage with personally. You might hear someone speaking and clap – impressed by the smart communication skills – but are you allowing it to go deeper.
In a world full of information, I believe we would be able to discern what is useful from what isn’t, if we just stopped reacting to whatever is thrown at us. That requires distancing yourself in the moment to decide what is going to rule you. It is a form of self-control that will enable you to hear God in the storm and stand unwavered while others catastrophically wear themselves out with the surface problems of an unpredictable world.
Shopping around
I know this is a weird term, but it relates to the idea that there are many options to choose from and if you don’t like what may be said you can move on to another explanation or reality. I have done this many times – if I haven’t liked the answer to a question I am asking, it is very easy to ignore it and try to find another explanation that makes me feel better.
This kind of behavior completely discredits the authority of sources. It belittles the hard-earned experience and wisdom of those who care enough to address your challenges and makes them equal to the opinions of those who are communicating simply to impress you.
There is an uncensored amount of opinions stated as fact online that you could choose to build your life on. But if you would allow yourself to receive the hard truth without shirking it, you will be able to change and grow as a person.
Fighting to be heard
The world elevates unrealistic versions of success to the point where it is very easy to be insecure. Insecurity is one of the pandemics of this generation. It can manifest in striving, showing off, people pleasing’ and comparison. But all of these expressions are, in essence, a way of fighting to be heard.
Have you ever been in a conversation with someone who just wants to speak their opinion without listening to yours? I have been on both sides of that coin. The sad thing is, we can live most of our lives stating our own constructed opinions – based on limited actual experience and selected information from ‘professionals’ that you’ve never met or seen before. When, if you simply listened, you would be able to possibly allow yourself the chance to change into a better version of yourself.
I believe God wants to speak to us all – to tell us things that will not only enable us to grow, but will also change the world around us. But if we are not able to listen, there is a danger that we will stay the same and lose any hope of becoming who we were intentionally made to be.
If you want to hear a truth that was not constructed to simply impress or please you. If you want heartfelt and unapologetic fact that could change your life, can I encourage you to stop shopping around for options, stop fighting to be heard and stop reacting to every whim of the untrustworthy information age. God wants to work with you individually. He wants to encourage and empower you to overcome problems, rather than explain them into permanent dysfunction. Click on the link below to find out more.