Saturday, January 13, 2024

This HELPED me

 


Proverbs 15:14

King James Version

14 The heart of him that hath understanding 

seeketh knowledge: 

but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.


How important is independent thinking?

How vital is tireless search for truth?

How essential is finding the right teacher?

If you're a researcher, you'd find these important.

If you're a journalist, you'll find these compulsory.

If you're a seeker, you'll be grateful to know these things.

If you're a leader, you'll gravitate to these.

Well, that is if you're a true researcher, journalist, seeker, and leader.

And who's to judge that you are?

Self, for one.

You know what you seek.

You know what you aspire for.

And ideally, you know where to look.

If you have tons of mileage to your years, you've gone through the process.

I have, and did.

Only thing?

There was always something vital missing.


I couldn't seem to put a finger to it.

I've read tons of books.

Worked tons of jobs.

And yet, my search continued.


Sure, others could spoonfeed me.

But I refused.

I wanted to find things out for myself.

A foolish trait?

A stubborn trait?

More like the latter.


Knowledge had to satisfy the soul.

I couldn't seem to "buy" what others said I should "buy".

I always wanted to know why, and if it was trustworthy.

I always tried to look behind the curtain.

Surface was not good.

I went deep.

What was being kept from me?

What more did I need to know?

Who can give me the answers?

I had no idea such a trait would serve me much later on.


Where people sought riches, I wasn't as fascinated.

Where people sought fame, I absolutely had no interest in it.

Where people sought knowledge, I asked "what" knowledge?

Who was dishing out the knowledge?

Was it something you could embrace, for real?


As you can imagine, I had embarked on a solitary path.

But not a lonely path.

If anything, it was the MOST exciting path!

I was tireless sleuth.

I had my mind to myself.

Never mind what people thought of me.

I was predictable.

I was always buried in books.

All my money went to finding something out.

What, I didn't know what, then, and yet.


So, I kept on, unmindful of how others progressed.

But when they regressed, that's when I paid attention.

Why did that happen?

And that's when they'd dish their own form of wisdom.

After failure.

After humiliation.

After setbacks.

And that's when I'd listen to them.

For I suffered all that, too.

Now, we had real stories to tell.


To my mind, unless you've been in all parts of the spectrum, how can you really tell?

If you've always been successful, how can you know failure?

If you've always been rich, how can you know poverty?

If you've always been healthy, how can you know illness?

If you've always been free, how can you know bondage?

Nothing like experiencing it for yourself, to know firsthand.

Firsthand experience rocks.

Never lip service.

Authenticity, folks.

It's always been about authenticity.

At least, for me.


That's why I can't really take men's words for it.

We all tend to make up tall tales.

I wanted something guileless, unembellished.

Also, I had to know they went through "hell", and back.

I have, and did.


Of course, time came I got stumped.

There was ALWAYS something missing.

No matter how many books I read, or knowledge I gathered.

I didn't know where to turn for ABSOLUTE knowledge.

I didn't know how to right my life.

I didn't know where to begin.

What good were all my experiences for?

What was I missing?

And that's when GOD rescued me.

And made me born again.


Same day, I started reading the Bible.

And began to understand it, as if I'd been reading it all my life.

Notebooks, and pieces of paper, littered my room.

From all the verses I was jotting down, hoping to remember everything.

The Bible was THE treasure trove I had been searching for ALL my life.

My hungry heart couldn't have enough of GOD's TRUTH.

Imagine -- all it took was ONE book to explain everything!


But this I must tell you.

Only through SPIRIT can you understand the Bible.

That is essential to know.


Then, the blogs and books came.

Almost on its own, for I loved writing.

But really, SPIRIT dunnit.

He taught me everything.

Now, I could write about GOD's WORD.

And share with all of you.

I couldn't wait to share my many discoveries with you.


So, I think to myself now, was all that independent thinking worth it?

Were all those books necessary?

Was all that stubbornness to know for myself, a must?

At this stage, I must say GOD liked it all.

He allowed me to find out for myself.

To face all the hits, and misses.

He knew I was on a mission.

A personal mission to find truth.

So, He gave it.

John 14:26

King James Version

26 But the Comforter, 

which is the Holy Ghost, 

whom the Father will send in my name, 

he shall teach you all things, 

and bring all things to your remembrance, 

whatsoever I have said unto you.


You see, I wanted to know who the absolute leader was.

I wanted to know what absolute power was.

Everything had to be ABSOLUTE, or I wasn't there.

I wanted to know who I can really follow.

Who I can really trust.

And give my heart to.


Turned out, GOD was It.

With matching proof.

Through Scripture.

In the person of JESUS.

As taught by the HOLY SPIRIT.

What other book would I be needing?

I already have the Bible.

It tells me past, present, and future.

It tells me about GOD, you, and me.

What other reference could there be?

What other book could teach you to be a better leader?

What other book could teach you how to live your life?

What other book could teach you how to love?

What other book could teach you how to be?

Now, I'm peaceful.


Related material:

The CHILDLIKE heart

GOD's GLORY blogs

BORN AGAIN classics


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