How to Live Right When Your Life Goes Wrong by Leslie Vernick – The common denominator in all of our destructive behaviors is that we are acting on something that is not true. Gain a new perspective on the troubles God allows in your life. Come on a journey of personal growth and spiritual discovery as your heart is drawn back to a central tenet of the Gospel: Truth isn’t something you learn, but Someone you know. And the truth will set you free.
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, [32] and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32 ESV)
Through trials of all kinds, including hurricanes, we have a course of action that is a gift from God. Sometimes we need a system or a plan that we follow that insures that we set aside the temptations of the flesh, and tap into the perfect leading of the Helper.
For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. [9] For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. Your restoration is what we pray for. (2 Corinthians 13:8-9 ESV)
“My goal in developing the TRUTH Principle was to make it easy to use and easy to remember, even if it is rigorous to apply. …The TRUTH Principle can serve as a guide – a road map, so to speak – to maturity and godliness. The TRUTH Principle can help us understand more clearly where we currently stand in the process, it can also show us where we need to go.” (pgs. 137, 138)
T = Trouble
“The first step is to identify our trouble. What problem(s) are you facing right now? It might be a big trouble, such as a serious health crisis, marital distress, or job loss. Or you might be dealing with the more common troubles that you encounter throughout the day.” (pg. 138) Do you remember to include the “little stuff” when you are assessing trouble? How often does your “little stuff” turn into “big stuff”?
“If we are to grow, we need to look at our troubles in a different way than we have in the past, even if trouble causes us considerable pain. As we mature in our Christian faith, we need to look at troubles through the lens of God’s eternal purposes and try to identify what God is up to in our life.” (pg. 138)
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. (John 14:1 ESV)
Are you becoming more comfortable being honest with God? Even if it means expressing frustration towards Him?
“Our heart is hurt and angry that we have been thrust into some unbearable circumstance of life. Job felt this way; so did Jeremiah. They expressed their honest emotions before the Lord. During our troubles, we need not worry that our strong emotions anger God. …God uses our troubles to bring us into a deeper awareness of his nature. Discovering it is part of our maturity. Our faith changes from head knowledge to living, dynamic trust.” (pg. 139)
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.
It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.
(Proverbs 3:5-8 ESV emphasis added)
R = Response
“The second step of the TRUTH Principle is looking at our response, or self-examination. We need to understand how we think, feel, and behave in response to our troubles. …Sometimes we can start the process by identifying our feelings first. They usually act like warning bells that something is wrong. We can then backtrack and see what situation or trouble elicited those feelings, and what thoughts and behaviors we experienced as a result.” (pgs. 139, 140)
What are some of the ways God has taught you love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control?
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, [13] bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. [14] And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. [15] And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:12-15 ESV)
“God will often use trouble in our lives to give us opportunity to practice the very responses he wants us to develop – the character of Christ within.” (pg. 140) This is a troubled time in South Lafourche. Consider getting some professional help if you feel overwhelmed.
U = Underlying Idols
“If we really want to follow Christ, we can’t stop at knowing the truth; Christ wants more. He wants us to love him with everything we have – all our heart, all our mind, and all our strength. Too often we commit spiritual adultery by letting other loves rule our heart instead of our love for God and his love for us. In identifying the idols of our heart we need to ask, ‘What do I want?’ Another question might be, ‘What do I love or fear more than God right now?'” (pgs. 140, 141)
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, [4] by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. (2 Peter 1:3-4 ESV)
“Sometimes we get confused and convince ourselves that God endorses what we want; therefore we are entitled to it. We believe God wants us to be happy, or to have a good marriage, or to be on time, or to enjoy any number of things. Believing this makes us push all the harder to get our way. It’s not that God doesn’t want us to have those things. But when circumstances prevent us from attaining them, we must yield to God and believe that he may have something different in mind.” (pg. 142)
T = Truth
“If we come to understand ourselves more fully but then fail to put ourselves under the light of God’s truth, we will never come into spiritual maturity. As we enter this step of the TRUTH Principle, we need to ask, ‘What is the truth about my trouble – not as I see it, but as God sees it?’ and ‘Do I believe and trust him [God], or do I trust myself?'” (pg. 142) Are you getting better at “seeing it as God sees it”; even when it’s not the easiest way?
Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction? (Amos 3:3 NLT)
“Truth is not in us, it is in him [Jesus]. It is him! We access truth as we yield ourselves and allow the Spirit of God to teach us.” (pg. 143)
H = Heart’s Response
“Seeing the truth won’t profit us if it does not change us. …The final step in the TRUTH Principle is to ask, ‘What is my heart’s response to the truth of God’s love? To the kindness of God’s grace? To the reality of the cross? Do I ignore it? Do I feel bad about myself or my sin and wallow in self-hatred or self-pity? Or do I truly repent?’ As God helps us relocate our faith from our head to our heart, he does not kill our desires. Instead, he transforms them and leads us to obedience. Obedience means yielding our will to God’s. This can only occur in our heart, where it then affects our outward actions, attitudes, and disposition.” (pg. 143) How has God used this message series to change you?
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, [2] complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. [3] Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. [4] Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. [5] Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, …(Philippians 2:1-5a ESV)
Hurricanes, oil spills, and low oil prices, will certainly reveal if we understand that truth is Someone we know. Search our hearts O Lord!
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