Although we often associate the word “truth” with “how I really feel,” it is much more accurate to describe it as “how things really are.”
When we focus on our emotions, we let them dictate reality. Everything around us bends to how we feel or so we demand. Our minds create narratives that match, validate and reinforce the way we feel about things: how we wish they were rather than how they are.
And this is a recipe for frustration and chaos. Denying reality to make us feel better is a terrible course. When we are not in alignment with reality, there are constant points of tension. Weighty intersections, painful dislocations and denying they are there only causes new ones to form.
Walking in the truth means we are exploring reality. For better or worse, whether we like it or not, we commit to chasing what is real.
It is more difficult than it may seem to discover what is real and what is a byproduct of our inaccurate perceptions. Our feelings are such a large part of who we are, they often feel more real than the other parts of us. They feel more real than what others are saying. And so we reinforce the emotion rather than explore the vast amount of data available to us.
Scripture says the truth “sets us free.” Living in a false reality might seem better than facing the discomfort of the truth. But in the end it leads to confusion, apathy and destruction.
Current reality is an acquired taste but it is our friend. Naming how things are is the first step to coping with how things are. Acknowledging reality is the only way to make the most of it.
In modern society, you might hear the phrase, “perception is reality.” This is a dangerous idea, suggesting that how we see things is more important than how they are; that we should not waste time trying to walk in the truth but should resign ourselves to walking in the illusion.
Playing the game rather than living the reality; our perception is a powerful force. It can eclipse reality but it can never truly extinguish it.
The only way to live effectively is to align our perception with what is real.
We have the opportunity to commit to the truth. In humility, we need to seek what is real and what is right. {eoa}
The Yellow Balloons team is committed to influencing individuals and organizations toward choosing a true perspective. Throughout all the diverse circumstances of life, we have the power to make choices and live life above our circumstances. Yellow Balloons provides resources such as books, podcasts and devotionals, which can be found at yellowballoons.net. For more on discovering truth, our new devotional book, Yellow Balloons: 366 Day of Discovering a True Perspective, is now available.
Read articles like this one and other Spirit-led content in our new platform, CHARISMA PLUS.
Curt Landry 
Michael L. Brown 
Rabbi Eric Tokajer