January 15, 2010
Is Ignorance Bliss?
Leslie Nease, she speaks! graduate
"Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship Him as God or even give Him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused." Romans 1:21-22 (NLT)
Devotion:
A wave of regret swept over me as I looked up the nutrition information on the pumpkin muffin I'd just consumed. It had a whopping 530 calories, 20 fat grams and 80 carbohydrates! Stunned, I wondered why I would ever want to know this information? Why did I look this up? Now I wouldn't be able to eat my pumpkin muffin in good conscience!
Ignorance is bliss. Or is it?
If I didn't know this nutritional information I would eat the muffin thinking that because it contains vegetable, it must be good for me! I mean, honestly - have you tasted one of these? But the truth is, eating a pumpkin muffin every day for the rest of my life might lead to some serious consequences. Heart disease, obesity, lack of energy and diabetes could be in my future. Now that I'm in the know, I can't deny the potential negative affects this could have. I have a responsibility and a decision to make, whether I like it or not.
Similarly, it used to be easier for me to pretend God wasn't real--hell was made up and evil was something I could elude. But when faced with the reality that there is a God who I am accountable to, there is a hell, and evil is present; I knew I had some decisions to make. Instead of living in denial, I accepted that ignorance is not bliss and it was not doing me any favors. So I started to search for truth about God in the pages of His Word.
Scripture is the one place where we can be sure we will find all we need to know about God. However, many folks try to figure out God without the Bible; they want a god on their terms. This reminds me of diets that promise extreme weight loss while eating whatever you want without exercising. We would be in denial if we believed those promises. To lose weight, you have to know the nutritional value of food, work out regularly, and not eat pumpkin muffins every day! It's a conscious decision to daily invest in our health and there are no short cuts.
Denying God's existence is not going to change the fact that He is there either. Ignorance is not bliss - it is ignorance.
God makes Himself known to us through His Word. He says, "I Am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5, NIV). We must make a conscious decision daily to invest in our spiritual health through learning about God through time in the Bible. We must connect and remain with Him. With God's Word lighting our path, we are armed with truth, so we can make informed decisions that will help us grow, not lead us into deception.
Dear Lord, I pray our minds and hearts will be opened and softened to the truth of Your Word. Help us embrace it and learn, grow and walk in the freedom of knowing that You are real and You desire a relationship with us. I pray we will take Your hand as we walk through this life. Instead of living in ignorance, may we walk forward, realizing that Your Truth is what sets us free. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
pierced by the word by John Piper
perplexing proverbs by Susanne Scheppmann
For more encouragement check out hold it up to the light
Application Steps:
It's important that we surround ourselves with people who will be truthful with us. Having godly, honest friends can ensure we have the accountability and tools to grow in our faith.
Spend some time in prayer and in God's Word, asking Him to reveal any areas of your life you may be living in denial or deception. Be ready to respond to what He may reveal with humility and a desire to grow.
Reflections:
Is there a scripture that you find difficult to believe? Have you prayed and asked God to reveal the context and the reason He included this scripture in His Word? Spend time digging into different bible commentaries found on various websites to help understand God's Word.
Can you think of a time in your life when you believed ignorance was bliss?
Power Verses:
Proverbs 4:13, "Take hold of my instructions, don't let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life." (NLT)
Psalm 119:105, "Your Word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path." (NLT)
© 2010 Leslie Nease. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road
Matthews, NC 28105
Originally published Friday, 15 January 2010.
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