Is There Some Stale Truth In Your Life?

I mentally finished checking the things off of my list:

Quinoa – Check
Cilantro – Check
Green Onions – Check

As I pushed my grocery cart towards the checkout line, I couldn’t help smiling. Normally I wasn’t big on cooking, but that day I was really excited to try the recipes from my new book! It completely transformed how I thought about food. I started eating all kinds of new grains and seeds, taking herbal supplements, and drinking teas I’d never heard of before. Not only did my dietary changes make me feel great, they were quite tasty. The book didn’t just change my life, it revolutionized how I thought, what I bought, where I shopped, how I cooked, and the amount I ate.

Unfortunately, my excitement was short lived. After six months, the world-changing ideas no longer had as much pizazz. I found unopened seaweed snacks in my pantry and moldy bee pollen in my fridge. I knew what was good for me, but it was old news. The nutritional truths had grown stale. When someone told me the benefits of this or that herb, I would say, “Oh, yeah, I remember reading that” and change the subject.

Do you ever feel that way towards biblical truth? Like: Oh yeah, God promised never to leave or forsake me—that’s nice, now let’s talk about the newest movie release.

Some truths we’re familiar with—like my nutritional discoveries, or the fact that the earth is round—but they don’t necessary affect the way we live our lives. The roundness of the earth doesn’t influence the way I dress, what I eat, or how I speak. But biblical truths should affect us. For example, the truth of God’s omnipresence should influence the way we drive, dress, and speak (among other things). Since God is everywhere and we want to please Him, we drive according to the laws of the land, we speak wholesome words, and we dress in modest clothes that reflect his majesty.

The interesting thing is, “If there is one fact, or doctrine, or promise in the Bible, which has produced no practical effect upon your temper or conduct, be assured that you do not truly believe it” (Edward Payson). Wow! When I read that quote I had to ask myself: Does my lifestyle reflect the things I claim to believe?

What should we do if we discover that a biblical truth has become stale?

The answer is simple: Revisit those truths. For example, if you take sight for granted and visit a home for the blind, you are instantly reminded of how blessed you are to see. You become very grateful and live with a sense of renewed gratitude. The same thing happens when we revisit biblical truths as though learning them for the first time. Here are some truths you may want to take some time reacquainting yourself with:

God is omniscient – “If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, would not God have discovered it, since he knows the secrets of the heart? (Psalm 44:21). God has complete and unlimited knowledge. He knows everything about everyone. Nothing can be hidden from his knowledge. As John Owen says, “He sees the inside of all; and what men are there, that they are to him. He sees not as we see, but ponders the hidden man of the heart.”

God is omnipotent – God is able to do anything he wants whenever he wants. Jeremiah 32:17 says, “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” Other verses on this topic include: Job 42:2, Psalm 119:91, Psalm 115:3. In our daily life, this should make us confident in our prayers and firm in our faith because there is nothing too difficult for our God!

God is omnipresent– “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell [the grave], behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me” (Psalm 139:7–10).

Charles Spurgeon beautifully illustrates how God’s omnipresence influences our daily life:

If you are in personal danger, or in the midst of a storm, or facing illness, and if you hear a voice saying, “Surely the Lord is in this place,” you will be perfectly at rest. The anxious air grows pure if he is there. Better to have poverty and feel his presence than to own the world’s riches and not know that he is here. Some of you are in deep affliction. Your difficulties are so great that you do not know where things will end, and you are deeply depressed. But remember, “Surely the Lord is in this place.” Some of you are called to some extraordinary duty and do not feel strong enough. Follow that call, for surely the Lord is in that place. He will help you. His arm will not be far off, so lean on him. His divine strength is not remote, because “surely the Lord is in this place” (Spurgeon: Beside Still Waters Devotional).

There are many more biblical truths about the character of God. Revisit them if they have become stale and let them reign in your life. Don’t let them just sit in a dusty closet like my nutritional facts. Dig them out and live them out. And, trust me, you will reap many blessings.

Felicia Alvarez lives in Southern California and loves avocados, sunshine, and serving her Savior. Currently, she teaches dance to over one hundred students and is working on her second book. Connect with Felicia on her blog or Facebook—she would love to hear from you.

Publication date: April 8, 2014