Itching Ears

For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. 2 Timothy 4:3-4

It seems as though that time is here, for all of us, in every time. It’s so much easier to listen to, and believe, teachers who say things that agree with our own opinions of what we think should be right. The things that make us feel good, and keep us comfortable. But the truth sometimes hurts. Our source of Truth is the Word of God. If we believe that the Bible is the Word of God, then it’s ALL true. Not just the parts that support what we’re thinking and doing, but all of it.

We are taught to “have an open mind”. I would challenge you to open your mind and your heart to God. Not to be open to every idea that comes along, not open in the sense that everyone “has their own truth”. Be dedicated to searching His Word and learning so that your opinions will be based on the one Truth. Don’t just look for verses to support your current position. Ask God to show you where you may need to rethink things to align yourself with His will. It may be uncomfortable, or you may find that you were right all along, or you may never find a definite answer but just have to trust Him with your question.

Act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

Don’t let knowledge of the Truth become arrogance. Act in a way that is consistent with the Truth. Be merciful when others don’t agree. Share gently what you have learned. Walk humbly by His side for it is His truth, not yours. We can’t hold others accountable to what they don’t know, or have rejected. That is for God to judge, it is between Him and his child to discuss. We need to be accountable to what we know. When we know the truth, we are accountable to it.

Part of what we know is that when we mess up and get it wrong we simply need to repent, turn around, ask forgiveness, and receive mercy and grace. There is no need to let shame stick around. That is a lie that the enemy tries to get you to believe. Be humble enough to accept His mercy. Strength does not come from holding onto our hurts, trying to keep them under our control. It comes from being strong enough to give them away.

“I entered this world to render judgement – to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind. If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty”, Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.” John 9:39 & 41

Jesus had healed a blind man to reveal God’s power. The man hadn’t asked for healing, but when he was healed he shared his story. That’s what we are all called to do, just tell others what happened when we met Jesus. If we are truly blind and don’t know the Truth, Jesus will meet us on the street and give us sight. We are forgiven for not seeing. But if we meet Jesus and are too arrogant in what we think we already know, refuse to let Him show us new things, things that maybe we got wrong, then we remain guilty. We are like the Pharisees, claiming we can see but hiding the fact that we are blind.

We don’t even know how blind we are until His light shines on all the gaps and shows us what we’ve been missing. Some of those gaps are painful to overcome, because we are so sure we must be right. So read, research, pray for wisdom and truth. But be open to the fact that you may have some things wrong, even if the world agrees with you (especially then). You may need to leave some old opinions behind and move into a new season. A season where submission to His plan, His will, His Word, His Truth, is the priority in your life. Dig deep, find out what the truth really is, even if it’s uncomfortable. And then commit to follow Him, no matter what that means. The Truth will bring freedom as you let go of the lies you’ve been holding onto so tightly.