Last week my wife Tammy and I spent a few days in the mountains of North Carolina to celebrate our 40^th wedding anniversary. It was a restful and relaxing time. On our third day though we had a brief period of stress. After a leisurely breakfast we were walking along an old section of Asheville that had many different shops selling their wares and services. On this particular street we visited a flower and craft shop and spent several minutes inside looking around and engaged in a pleasant conversation with the owner. Next, we walked across the street to a coffee shop recommended by the owner.

As we walked in, we both felt a darkness and heaviness. We stayed just long enough buy a cup of coffee and left the shop. The colors on the wall, the decor, and artwork were very dark and unsettling. Several other shops along this section had a similar vibe. As we walked down the street, we discussed the darkness we both sensed and our sadness over the spiritual oppression that was evident. We sat on a nearby bench to drink our coffee and overheard a customer and server talking at an outside cafe. They obviously knew one another and were catching up on life and things they were both going through when one of them said to the other “You know, you have to live your own truth.”

Tammy picked up on this immediately and as we continued our walk to a more pleasant environment (we went into a candle shop and made anniversary candles… which was a blast!) we talked about the joy we’ve experienced over the past 40 years together living out The Truth that Jesus taught about in His Word, versus the world’s version of “live your own truth” where everyone does what is right in their own eyes. In John 14:6 Jesus says I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through me.”  That means any other way is a false path, any other version of truth is a lie, and a life without Him is not true life at all.

Millions of people spend their lives pursuing false paths that supposedly lead to success and happiness by pursuing power, position, prestige, going after their brand of truth, thinking they have achieved life, only to find out they aren’t really living at all. Over the past 70 weeks of writing weekly blogs on rest and life-balance, I’ve covered numerous topics on physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being.  I’ve posted on exercise, sleep, nutrition, contentment, finances, materialism, minimalism and a variety of other subjects.  None however is more important than coming to grips with the Truth of God’s Word. You may adopt healthy habits, and benefit from the other topics I’ve written about, but until you embrace Truth and get this one right, the others will only lead to temporary fixes that will never lead to true life-balance, true rest, and true life.

Interesting, Tammy and I have always enjoyed making and burning candles. We still have the original candle from our wedding ceremony on our bedroom dresser. It has John 13:34 on one side “This I command you that you love one another as I have loved you.” And on the other side it says, “We walk in the light of His love.”

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