Has someone ever asked you, "Do you know that you know that you know?" I'm not really sure what this would mean but I am assuming it depends on the context of the conversation.
My first thought is that "knowing" something or someone is a choice. If you look up the definition of the word "choice" it says it's an act of selecting or making a decision when faced with two or more possibilities. We each face choices every single day. I think we have to know someone special to make the right choices, and that someone is God.
Our lives are full of choices, and I am sure we can all say there are times when we might not have made the correct choice. None of us are perfect. I do think there are ways to aid and encourage our correct choices.
The first, and really the most important step, is to make a choice to know God. To fully know God, we have to study, and take in all the information we can to allow us to understand and comprehend what we know. Our knowledge and understanding of God will shape our life responses. Knowing God gives us greater joy, allows us to love others, offers forgiveness, heals our hurts, and gives us an overall purpose in this life.
We have to take the steps and make the effort to know God. Proverbs 4:5 says "Acquire wisdom. Acquire understanding. Don't forget my words or turn away from them." We have to make a choice to know God's word, which enables us to hear and know His voice. Do you know that you know?
Another choice we are faced with is knowing what to believe. If we don't know the truths to believe, the doubts will take over. Satan loves to place doubts in our minds. He knows we all have decisions to make. Satan wants to influence us and be able to choose what we believe. We have to know who and what we believe. James 1:5-6 says "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must BELIEVE and NOT DOUBT, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."
Knowing what we believe and knowing that we can ask God for wisdom offers us stability in the storms of life. It won't take us out of the storm, but it will keep the storm from consuming us. We have to make a choice to know who we trust and know what we believe. Do you know that you know?
The last thing I will mention is you have to make a choice to know where to fix your mind. I can honestly say that it seems most of my battles are fought in my mind. I can create scenarios, convince myself of things, second guess decisions, and deal with a ton of other situations in my mind without anyone else ever even knowing I am doing this. Why? Because it is happening in my own personal thoughts. It becomes a mind game that I am allowing to influence my thinking, and it can result in confusion, doubt, and mental distress.
I have to quickly change my choice and know where to fix my mind. Isaiah 26:3 says "You (God) will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you." I have a choice. I must recognize the battle and quickly know where to fix my mind. My choice, in order to have peace, is to know I trust God. Do you know that you know?
Life is full of choices. We can choose fear or faith, calm or chaos, hope or despair, redemption or regret, or ultimately a life knowing God or a life lived without Him. I am so very thankful I know God. I know to believe and trust Him. It's amazing to think that He knows everything about me, and He still chose me and loves me.
I have to end by asking, "Do you know God? Do you know what you believe? Do you know how to have a peaceful mind, and do you know your final destination?" Jeremiah 29:11 tells me God knows the plans He has for us. His plans give us a hope and a future. Now is the time to stand on what we know. Trust God with the unknowns because you know Him and His plans are good. I trust Him to guide my life and all my tomorrows. I know who I have chosen to hold my hands, and I pray you do too.
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Jill Johnson, a staff member at the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, finds spiritual applications in her everyday experiences as a wife, mother, grandmother and Georgian. She is available to speak to your church's women's gatherings. Reach her at jjohnson@gabaptist.org.
