Test the Spirits

Not every light leads to light.

There is a lot of spirituality in the world. Light, love, miracles and beautiful words. Sometimes I think we are a bit like magpies. If something shines, we fly toward it. If something promises something good, it immediately feels meaningful.

But not everything that shines comes from God.

The Bible does not tell us to believe everything. It tells us to test.

“Test the spirits whether they are of God.” (1 John 4:1, KJV)

That verse stopped me. Not because it felt harsh or frightening, but because it felt gentle and wise. God is not asking us to close our eyes or switch off our thinking. Quite the opposite. He invites us to examine, to ask, and to seek truth in the light of His Word.

I used to think spirituality could be measured by feelings. If something felt good, peaceful or comforting, I assumed it was right. If it gave me a moment of lightness or opened my mind, I took it as a sign of truth.

But over time, I began to see that a feeling does not carry very far.

It can disappear. It can also mislead.

There is a kind of light that looks good, but does not hold up in the dark. There are teachings and experiences that promise a lot, but leave you empty in the end. That is why the Bible warns us. Not to scare us, but to protect us.

For me, testing has not meant living in constant suspicion or being afraid that everything is wrong. It has meant stopping and asking honest questions.

Does this lead me closer to Jesus, or farther away from Him?

Does this turn my eyes to the cross, or back to myself?

Can this stand in the light of Scripture, or does it require me to skip, soften, explain away or reshape some part of God’s Word so it fits better?

I have had to realize that not everything that feels calming necessarily leads to truth. And not everything that challenges me or exposes something in me is bad.

Truth does not always feel easy, but it carries.

Deception can feel light, but you cannot build on it.

Truth is not found by following whatever feels good. Truth is found by returning to what God Himself has said.

This is an invitation to stop. To take time with God’s Word. To read, pray and listen. To let truth do its work, even when it reveals something that is hard to let go of. Even beliefs, experiences or ways of thinking that once felt meaningful and familiar.

Jesus did not leave us guessing. He said it clearly:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6, KJV)

Truth is not a vague feeling or a passing experience. Truth is not an inner state you can achieve and then lose again.

Truth is a person.

Jesus Christ.

In Him there is a light that carries through the dark. In Him there is peace that does not disappear when feelings change and life shakes.

That is why I test. That is why I keep returning to the Bible. Not because I doubt God, but because I trust Him.

Truth can handle being examined. God can handle the questions.

And when we seek Him honestly, He answers.

With truth, not illusion.