I value truth; it is what connects and joins people in a slue of relationships and sheds light into dark places filling it with the warmth of acceptance and grace. Unfortunately, truth isn’t for the faint at heart or those of us who choose not to withstand hardship. It takes extra effort for one to embrace and act in accordance with the truth no matter what the cost. However, I believe that choosing truth provides one with an illuminating eye-opening experience.

By definition, truth is “ that which is true or in accordance with fact or reality,” and a biblical explanation of truth is “the self expression of God.” Although, the dictionary definition allows us to acknowledge what truth is, this biblical explanation sheds light on what the Father has shown me over the course of the past few months. Little nuggets of His wisdom plopped right into my heart in order to reveal the expression of God with my very own eyes.

Here are 10 truths (or expressions of God) in which I’ve cherished and experienced in the past 3 months.

1.Everyone doesn’t have to value, choose, maintain, or acknowledge the same things that you do. We are all designed to be completely different and have unique ways which we see and do things. The beauty of our God-given uniqueness allow each of us to be completely different and still able to come together in unity, throughout different aspects and levels of our life’s journey.

2.Relationships are challenging, trying, demanding, exhausting, and sometimes grueling to maintain if one chooses not to put forth the effort, especially over long distances. A number of my friendships and family relationships are across borders and countries and the only way in which I’ve been able to maintain these relationships is by fighting for them.

3.Repentance leads us to cultivate godliness while we eliminate the habits that lead us to sin. Repentance is not asking God for forgiveness, however, it is acknowledging that we’ve sinned and choosing to denounce and strategically turn away from that specific sin. When we trust God to remove the habits that our sinful nature clings to we open up a clear path in order to be more like Him.

4. Anger masks insecurities. Insecurities are fears that we allow to ambush our faith, which in turn reduces our trust in the Father.

5. At the root of all arguments and/or conflicts is pride. In most, if not all, cases we find ourselves within conflict with another individual due to the fact that we sometimes believe, “our way is the only way” or “our viewpoint is the only one that matters.” At the heart of each of these statements is a tendency to promote ourselves to a higher esteem than what we actually deserve. The light of God’s truth can overcome our self-righteousness if we truly give it room to transform and mold us into a reflection of Christ.

6. Platforms aren’t made to elevate you, they are meant to elevate the Father, propelling others closer to Him. Choosing to concede to your influence without making room for Christ at the center eventually will leave you without a leg to stand on. God gives us opportunities where the thing you’ve been dreaming of the most comes true, however, when you choose to misuse or abuse the gift for your own glory, God will remove it. There is a need for each of us to steward our influence in a God-honoring way pushing others ultimately closer to Him.

7. Though I evolve, develop, progress, and occasionally backslide, God’s love is still perfect. His love doesn’t transform, falter, or waver with the seasons. It stays perfectly unchanged.

8. Just because you inherited it, doesn’t mean you have to embrace it. We have the ability to change the course of our future generations by the way in which we choose to live. Our experiences cannot and shall not define us or our offspring. We can choose to denounce the curses placed on our lives unknowingly to us by circumstance outside of our control.

9.Deception is Satan’s deadliest weapon. He desires to keep us blinded to his trickery, suffocated with sin, insecurity, fear, and discouragement paralyzing us from walking in complete freedom in Christ.

10. Where you started doesn’t matter as much as where you will end. My story isn’t a perfect fairy stale, but I’m confident in knowing where and with Whom my ending lies.