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Every day in our world comes with countless questions. "What will I wear?" "What should I work on?" "What should I believe?" The parent of all these questions is, "What is truth?" It's a question that scientists and philosophers have argued for centuries without coming to an answer. Our beliefs about truth guide our choices, and when we look around, it's clear our choices have us in a state of upheaval. And I'm not just talking about the recent onslaught of COVID and controversies. I can't claim to understand the conditions of past generations, but I think it's safe to say that this one carries "more" than ever before. More information, options, flavors of iced lattes, and inevitably more confusion.
It's at a point where many of us can't make it through a conversation without going to Google for verification. And, of course, the wild web only offers more contradictions. Even if we stay offline, we face constant misdirection. "Do this." and "Do that!" are thrown at us from every angle. We can't even go to the grocery store without having an internal debate about which nutrition philosophy to follow. (None of them allow for Double Stuf Oreos, so the outlook is dreary no matter what.)
I don't know about you, but I feel like I'm in an argument with myself a lot of the time. I can't blame the world because I know I'll always have choices, no matter how much clutter I eliminate. Every time I wake up, I have to evaluate what facts I will follow. One day my research may tell me I need to invest in some profitable new idea; the next it might inspire me to head out into the woods. The thing is, even when we think we're "following our hearts," we are choosing to believe a particular idea we have received. Some of these ideas are fruitful, and some will reach dead ends. None of them will ever define the truth. No matter what causes we stand for or what data we study, we will never find certainty in society. Sure, we can definitively say some things are true and false. Still, those things can't determine how we perceive all the other uncertain things. We will never find satisfaction in our pursuits if we are still searching for a source of truth.
The only pure truth we have is in God. He shows us what truth really is and that it means more than "correct." God gives us the truth that we don't have to find; He constantly offers it. The world provides specks and chunks of truth, but none of it is concrete. So how do we navigate those issues? We don't use them as our compass. God's Word tells us all we need to know about life, and that is to live like Jesus. What that looks like is hard to define at times, but it's a foundation that we can continuously rely on. All we have to do is accept God’s guidance.
Despite all the questions we have, the Bible holds wisdom still relevant to the crazy times we face. There were many ways that people in the Bible lived differently from now, but just like us, their lives were full of choices. We may not find an example that tells us how to vote, who to date, or where to go, but every story helps to point us to God and what His ideal for us is. We can seek wisdom to know what that means for our individual actions, but some things aren't as simple as "right" or "wrong." There will always be unpredictable outcomes, no matter how much discretion we enact. That's why it's vital that God is our "why," our purpose, and our value. Even when things go off the rails and disappointment hits, we can stand solid when we know our source of truth remains. With faith, no amount of chaos can change what we are here to do: love God and love people.
No matter how many debates we win or lose, that will never determine our value. We are all equal in worth and can make an enormous change, even if we've chosen wrong a million times. When we stop placing our identity in the "truths" of the world, we can focus on how to glorify our Creator every day forward.
Written Content Coordinator at Sun Valley Community Church. An avid writer since the age of 5, who loves to explore new ideas and places. Inspired by Jesus, books, and travel.