The Transforming Power of Truth: Lessons from Colossians

  Wow, looking back over here, it has been a long time since i've written anything. I have been soaking up the New Testament the past couple months and loving it! There are only two and a half weeks left in this wonderful season of studying the word! Thank you to all who have still stayed in my life during this crazy season!

   Here is a bit of what God showed me through one of my favorite New Testament books: Colossians, a book on identity. I hope you enjoy and have a lovely day!

With love, 

Cayla 

   Truth. It has gotten a hold on me, and I am stuck on it. I absolutely love the book of Colossians. I don't know why it crept into my heart so much, but the Holy Spirit worked! I was running around last night because I was just so excited about the truth that is unlocked through that book! I felt like I had discovered the key to Christianity, and of life.

   I think I am beginning to understand the beauty of truth. Truth: the true or actual state of a matter; conformity with fact or reality; verity. This is what everyone needs because without it, you cannot really live. Without it you are simply floating around in a delusion and you can never ever thrive that way, but truth changes everything.

   Truth gives hope. When you understand the reality of life as it is, and who God really is, you can understand that life is filled with purpose, intention, love and displays of God's love. You also come into an understanding that your own hopelessness and sin doesn't have to be the end of your story! When you understand the truth about who God is you can (cliche I know, but) “let go and let God” because He has everything under control. He has a plan to take history somewhere, and to redeem. When you understand who God is, you can look forward to all that He will do and in spending eternity with Him because He is wonderful!

   Truth empowers change. When you know truth and the wonderful things that God is going to bring about and can accomplish through your life, you are motivated to change to love Him and to do something with the life that He has given! Knowing the truth about who God is and what He has for us, gives us motivation to stop doing the things we know will destroy us and our hearts and to instead become like Him!

   Truth gives life. When you can identify the lies, have hope in truth, and change towards the end of hope, you get life out of it! God created man for something. That something is to know who He truly is and to be with Him forever, presented as pure and lovely before Him. Colossians says it this way, “And you who were estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds , he has now reconciled in fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him- provided that you continue securely established in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven.” -Col 1:21-23 So, it is important for man to know that God saves him and wants to save him for this purpose, but it up to man whether or not he will fulfill this God given destiny- we as children of God must hold on to truth. We must hold on to the truth that God and God alone is enough to save us and to sustain us. He is God and He is enough for all that we need. By holding on to this truth and trusting Him to make up for our lack, we can fulfill the destiny that He has saved us for. This is the way to life. For the truth of God to be effective in our lives, we must hold onto it despite everything that comes against us. Truth, once discarded is ineffective.

   I think that the reason that I get so excited about truth is because I have finally come to an understanding of it's value to transform a life. It changes everything and I have experienced that firsthand. As I entered this season of studying God's word (which is called by the way, the word of truth) God spoke to my heart and told me that He was taking me into a season of establishing a firm foundation of truth inside of my heart. I now have such a deeper understanding of the importance of this.

   As Paul concludes his letter to the Colossians he does two things. First of all, he reminds them that truth is so important. After receiving all this truth that he unloads on them, he pleads with them to share it- “please,” he says, “don't keep this all to yourself.” Truth is sweetest once it is shared. Since truth is so transformational, and God is all about individuals but also about the whole world, He brings truth to us on a personal level, first transforming our hearts, and then asking us to share what He has done that more may be transformed.

   Secondly, Paul reminds them that the truth is so valuable, it is worth suffering in order to share it. It might sound a little silly, but I feel like God has taught me over the past 8 months, what this means. I definitely haven't been in chains without food, but as I have studied the word of God, I have chosen to give up many things in order to focus on God and His word. At times it has been extremely painful. Some days I have cried and wondered why I am even here- “is it worth it?”, I used to ask. But I don't ask that anymore. I know that it has been worth every 4 hour night, every sleepy afternoon class, every “no, not today...I have to go study the bible”, every tearful walk, and every chart. It is worth all the suffering it takes to get to know the truth of who God is, because once the truth is etched on your soul and you have a story, no one can take that away.

   I will not be quit now. I will not stuff all the truth inside me and keep my transformation and stories to myself. I will share and I will fight for truth, and I will pray hard, that through me, God will change lives. This is why he has called me to Africa. This is why I will go sit, scared and feeling insufficient at a coffee shop on Thursday and share truth with young women, some who are so blind by lies that they might not believe a word I will say. But, I will choose to press on, to speak truth and give hope, in the hope that God will bring change and life through my story and my words.

   God, I am so overwhelmed, I am just bursting! I love truth, and I am so grateful that you have revealed it to me and lit my heart of fire once again. I love it when you show me truth and when you open my eyes to see how you are working my story together. Thank you for truth, for revelation, and for the change you alone can bring. Thank you that you alone are God and that is enough. I feel so grateful! Use me to bring truth.