Maddie is curled on her window seat in the afternoon light, pink scarf and flower tucked by one ear, with rose-patterned cushions and a cream knitted throw around her. Her observation today is a thoughtful one. People can hear the truth, recognise that it is true, and still keep hoping the answer will somehow turn out differently.
“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
John 8:32 (KJV)
Jesus spoke these words to people who had begun to believe Him, and the conversation that followed was not comfortable. Truth in John’s Gospel is not only information to agree with. It is something to live in and be changed by, and that is where the difficulty starts. Understanding asks only for our minds, while acceptance asks for our whole lives.
Resisting reality is tiring. We replay conversations, wish for different facts, and hold on to hopes that have already been answered. Freedom often begins the moment we stop arguing with what is true and bring it honestly to God. He is not afraid of hard facts, and He can lead us forward from exactly where we are.