The Delight of Truth: Embracing Freedom and Joy

The Delight of Truth in Our Inmost Being

Do you ever find yourself dreading the truth? Maybe you have a dentist appointment coming up and you know that the truth about the state of your teeth will be revealed. It can be a bit unsettling, right? The truth might expose some decay, and who wants to deal with that?

But here's the thing: God delights when truth reigns in our inmost being (Psalm 51:6). He desires for us to embrace the truth, even when it's difficult or uncomfortable. Why? Because truth leads to freedom.

Honesty vs. Pride: A Battle within Us

If we're being honest (pun intended), we have to admit that we don't always delight in the truth. Sometimes, our pride gets in the way. Pride encourages us to seek our own selfish interests above God's truth. It tempts us to prefer a deceptive illusion of self-advancement, self-exaltation, or self-protection over God's exposing, humbling, yet ultimately merciful and liberating truth. But in doing so, we are actually choosing destruction over joy.

Dishonesty is often a manifestation of pride. Unless we're in a situation where it's necessary to protect someone from harm, there's no good reason for us to be dishonest. It's a way of trying to control and manipulate someone else's perception for our own selfish gain. But God loves honesty, and He desires for truth to reign in every part of us. He knows that His truth will set us truly free (John 8:32).

The Blessing of Honesty

God is truth (John 14:6), and He loves honesty. In Psalm 32:2, David writes, "Blessed is the man... in whose spirit there is no deceit." David understood both the blessedness of honesty and the wretchedness of dishonesty. When he kept silent about his sin, he experienced the weight of guilt and shame. But when he acknowledged his sin and confessed it to the Lord, he found forgiveness and restoration (Psalm 32:3-5).

Honesty is like a breath of fresh air to our souls. Being honest with God and with others brings health and refreshment. It allows us to live with integrity, aligning our inner selves with our outer actions. God wants us to experience this health and refreshment. He wants us to enjoy the freedom that comes from living truthfully.

But here's the catch: being honest doesn't necessarily mean we believe what is true. It simply means we speak and live consistently with what we do believe, whether it aligns with reality or not. We can be honest and still be wrong.

The Importance of Believing the Truth

While God loves honesty, He is after something deeper than just being honest about our beliefs. He wants us to believe what is true. It's not enough to simply be true to our convictions if our convictions are based on falsehood.

Sometimes, being honest about our false beliefs can actually feel liberating. We might experience a sense of relief when we finally admit and embrace something that goes against God's truth. But that kind of honesty won't truly set us free. It might feel good in the moment, but it leads to destruction in the long run.

God is the Source of Truth

God desires for us to be honest with Him, but He also wants us to embrace His truth. Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). Jesus is the truth. He is the one who determines our identity, purpose, and destiny.

To be truly honest with God, we must lay down our pride and surrender to His truth. We must repent of the false beliefs that have controlled us and embrace His truth, no matter how difficult or painful it may be at first. This surrender is not about losing ourselves, but about finding our true selves in Him.

When we align our inner beings and our outer actions with God's truth, we experience the greatest joy possible: a deep and intimate relationship with Him. God's desire for us is not to withhold joy from us, but to give us the fullest joy possible, which can only be found in Him.

Conclusion

In conclusion, God delights in truth. He desires for truth to reign in our inmost being. While our pride may tempt us to shy away from the truth, we must remember that it is only through embracing the truth that we can experience true freedom and joy. God loves honesty, but He also wants us to believe what is true. He wants us to align our inner selves with His truth, so that we can truly know Him and find our ultimate joy in Him. Let us lay down our pride and surrender to His truth, for in doing so, we will discover the abundant life He has in store for us.