“Test them all; hold on to what is good.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:21
You honestly want to do what God wants, but sometimes you have trouble recognizing his voice. Is it God or just your own ideas? You can’t test those voices until you know God better. You may think of him as an angry judge — until you read: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). You’re not sure you can count on God — until you read: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). The better you get to know God, the easier it is to recognize his still, small voice. Consistent reading and study of the Bible will renew your mind. Knowing God’s truth will help you recognize the lies you’ll hear in the world. It’s like learning anything new. Before you could add, if someone had claimed that two plus two equaled five, you probably would have believed her. You wouldn’t know any different. But once you learned your addition tables, if someone told you that two plus two equaled five, you’d spot the lie. You’d know the truth by then — that two plus two equals four.
In the same way, you can spot the lies of the world by filling your mind more and more with God’s truth. Test everything. Compare what you hear to the Word of God.
More to Explore: Acts 17:11
Girl Talk: Do you believe everything you hear? How can you use the Bible to discover whether people are telling the truth?
God Talk: “Lord, thank you for the Bible that teaches me the truth. Help me to go to it for answers first. Amen.”
From Chick Chat by Kristi Holl