In Light of the Truth.

This post is short and straight to the point, just like the truth is. Especially, when we don't want to heart it.As a writer, I want my words to impact others. I want to write eloquently and beautifully. I want them to be a seed of hope in the hearts of the hopeless. But as a chosen follower of Christ, my words at times will need to be used for more than to inspire some and bring hope to others. Sometimes they'll need to be used to say the truth, no matter how harsh it may sound.When I write it's like I'm writing to myself. Actually, scratch that. It's like God's writing to me. Speaking to me and exposing what's in my heart, but at the same time making me aware of what's in His heart. And a lot of times I find myself sugar coating a lot of what He tells me when sharing it with others. I find myself choosing to discuss only topics that will uplift a person because I'm afraid to be too harsh, but by doing that I am not only limiting God but placing him in a box. God is good and all loving, but He is also a passionate God who is not only passionate about us but about the truth. Along those lines, He is a God who hates sin. Combine all that together and we discover that God wants us to know the truth so that we don't stay stuck in the sin that he hates so much. In hiding the truth that God reveals to me from myself first and then others, I'm not doing my job as a light in this world. I'm hiding the light that's inside me– God in all His splendor. Instead of shining, I'm just glowing, glowing enough to stand out in the world but not shining strong enough to pierce hearts with His light.

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12).

The truth shouldn't just touch our hearts, it should pierce our hearts so that in turn we become just as passionate about it as the God who created us.

So, I'm tired of sugar coating things, of covering the truth about ourselves and this world with pretty words. I'm tired of conforming to the standards of the church instead of confronting the standards the church, we, have set to keep everyone comfortable. Living for Christ in a non-Christ centered world should not be comfortable.In light of the truth, just because it happens, it's real, and it's life doesn't mean that it's right. Just because the world portrays it in a way that it's ok doesn't mean it's not a sin. Sin is sin regardless of the times, the generation we live in, or what the church says. Our standard is not the church, ourselves, but Christ, our Creator.I'm tired of just glowing enough to be seen and enough to fit in. I want God to pierce through my heart "judging the thoughts and attitudes of my heart." I want to allow Him to create holes out of all the spots darkening my heart with sin. I want Him to then fill those holes with the light of His truth so that I can shine, because glowing is so yesterday.words and photo by Maali Padro