I think it’s fair to say that we are living in a time where everyone has an opinion and something to say. That’s perfectly fine. We live in a country that’s been bought with lives to pursue freedom. Thank God for freedom! Freedom allows us the advantage to check things out. It allows us to think for ourselves. It gives us the right to be in relationship with whomever we choose. This is where things can sometimes get tricky. In our personal pursuit of happiness, we sometimes let the not so well-meaning influences have their way with us. For instance, if someone handed you something to drink that you absolutely knew was poisonous, would you drink it? Of course not! That’s a crazy question. But we, as Americans, take in confusion every day. It’s by means of tv, social media or opinions stated as “fact” by people we know. Confusion is poison to our minds. It causes us to be unstable. It leads to uncertainty, followed by anxious thoughts directing our steps. Let this not be so!

“Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!” (Matthew 6:22-23 NLT) God always says it best! He designed these eyes of ours to focus on things that lead to good mental and physical health for us. Whatever we take in gets in our minds and starts driving. Be ever so careful what information you’re taking in. 

In Hosea 4:6 (NLT), The Lord says “My people are being destroyed because they don’t know Me.”  He’s not talking about the world in general, He’s talking about His people! If we do not know His truth, we will believe anything that sounds like the truth. Keep in mind, there’s only One Truth. Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NLT) This is not an opinion. This is fact straight from God’s Word. Jesus IS truth. So, we need to learn to fine tune and filter what we see and hear based on His Word. If it lines up – we’re good to go! If not, it’s out of there. It’s no good for me. It’s not good for decision making that will affect me or my family. Tune into truth!

We all want what’s best for us. We’re designed to fellowship with The Lord and place Him on the throne of our lives. He wants His children to be safe. When we venture off outside of His will, we find ourselves out from under that umbrella of protection. There are very certain consequences in store for deliberately going against His Word. “Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.” (Proverbs 16:3 NLT) This is truth! Get the Lord’s perspective on “whatever” it is that you are involved with and go with that. He says our plans will succeed! If we fail to get Him involved, there’s a good chance things won’t go so well. This is where we find ourselves begging Him to bail us out. Wouldn’t it have been better to consult Him to start with?

We live in a world full of information. Some good. Some bad. We have to let God teach us how to filter these ideas through His Word. Only then will we know which way to go. He’s constantly trying to get our attention. He wants to shelter us with safety. Security is found only in Him. Next time you’re facing a dilemma, stop and seek Jesus. Ask for His guidance. Grab your Bible and figure out what He has to say about particular matters. Only then can you make correct judgments in situations. Don’t be confused. 

Today’s guest writer is Brandi Crowe. A hairdresser for over 25 years, she is currently the owner of Brandi Crowe salon in Buford, GA. She loves hiking, a good cup of coffee, and spending time with family and friends. Brandi lives in a custom farmhouse with her husband Robby and cat Harold.