"Hear The Truth"

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." 2 Timothy 4:3,4

What is this "sound doctrine" that he is talking about? It's the "truth". Paul told Timothy that a time would come when people won't want to hear the truth. I think that time has come-- people don't want to hear the truth. They want to hear what they want to hear. People want to be told what they want to hear. They don't want to be told otherwise.

The thing about the "truth" is that it doesn't always tell you "good things",- it doesn't always tell you what you want to hear. Jesus often told people what they didn't want to hear. The rich young ruler didn't want to hear that he had to sell everything and follow Jesus. Peter didn't want to hear that he was speaking under the influence of the devil. The disciples didn't want to hear that they had "no faith". David didn't want to hear God's word through the prophet Nathan that he was the guilty party. The Israelites didn't want to hear that they would be in captivity for seventy years.

When we don't want to hear the truth- especially through God's word- we are choosing to live by lies and deception. We are choosing to live a life "off course". We are choosing darkness instead of light. We are choosing to live in a state of confusion and defeat. We are placing ourselves outside of safe boundaries.

The truth is not always easy to hear, especially when it points out our faults and mistakes, and tells us that we were wrong, and brings correction to us. The truth is often hard to swallow, but so are some medicines. But we "choke" them down because we know that they are good for us and will bring healing to our bodies. Hum... if we are willing to take a pill prescribed by a physician/man in order to get better, why do we have such a hard time wanting to take the "pill" of God's truth that will make us much more than just better?

Have a great day. Hearing the truth may not be pleasant, but it is so good for you.

For further reading:
John 8:32
2 Samuel 12
Matthew 16:23; 19:16-22
Mark 4:40
John 17:17; 12:46-48