FROM THE KEYBOARD

God’s Word is bittersweet. It is sweet because it gives life, hope, and the promise of victory, but bitter because the truth we receive is often costly to carry. The Word of God is not just sweet when you consume it; sometimes it becomes bitter when it consumes you. “It was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter” (Revelation 10:10).

Being deceived is dangerous, but refusing to admit you’ve been deceived is even more dangerous. When facts challenge what we believe, pride tells us to dismiss the evidence, move the goalposts, or double down, but wisdom is willing to say, “I was wrong.” Truth may humble us, but humility is the doorway out of deception and into freedom. “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise” (Proverbs 12:15).

God never calls us to reshape His truth to fit our preferences; He calls us to reshape our lives to fit His truth. A heart committed to truth welcomes correction, while a heart committed to self will always find a way to justify itself. Ask God for the humility to love what is true, even when it challenges you. "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise" (Proverbs 12:15).

The gospel isn't God affirming who we are apart from Christ, it is God transforming us in Christ. Jesus never called people to simply embrace their old life; He called them to repent, believe, and become new. God's love doesn't leave us where it finds us, it changes us from the inside out. The greatest evidence of grace isn't that we stay the same, but that we are becoming more like Jesus. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The greatest gift God gives us is not relief from our problems, it is Himself. When Christ becomes your exceeding joy, every other joy finds its proper place. Don't seek God's hand more than His heart. "Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; and on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God" (Psalm 43:4).

Feelings can make God seem distant, but feelings are not your final authority, God's Word is. When life grows dark and your heart grows weary, don't let your emotions lead you. Let God's light and His truth guide you back to His presence, where hope is renewed and joy is restored. "Oh, send out Your light and Your truth; let them lead me..." (Psalm 43:3).