We gain knowledge from a variety of sources, hopefully positive ones that helps us grow. We must, however, sort out knowledge that comes from deceptive sources and those that won’t contribute to our growth in a positive way.

Knowledge is another important element in our journey to Be Victorious. How do we obtain knowledge that helps us grow and at the same time avoid accumulating knowledge that is not edifying?

My Health Journey

My health journey involved a tremendous amount of sorting through good and bad information. I collected knowledge that helped and tossed what did not.

My sources included the internet, doctors, magazines, and books along with friends and acquaintances going through similar situations. No one source provided all the answers. Rather, the solutions to my struggle with depression and other nagging health issues involved knowledge gained from a variety of sources.

The idea that small changes made over time add up to make a huge different certainly applies here. As I collected information and applied them through the process of trial and error, I slowly made mental, physical, and spiritual changes that brought me to a place of health and wholeness.

Lessons for Obtaining Knowledge

This process taught me several lessons you can use to obtain knowledge in a way that promotes growth and health.

  1. Persistence is an absolute necessity. Simply refusing to give up is half the battle toward obtaining knowledge that promotes healing. Persistence is a requirement.
  2. Know thyself. I wrote in my journal regularly to help sort out what I was feeling physically, mentally, and spiritually. I also kept food and exercise logs as well as noted how I felt throughout the day. Knowing myself helped me more easily identify what worked and what didn’t.
  3. Look for knowledge in unexpected places. From the waitress at the coffee shop to your pastor, anyone can give a tidbit of information that provides a small step in your journey. Refuse to discount any information until you have had time to pray over it and corroborate it with additional sources.
  4. Have and focus on goals. My first goal was to overcome depression. I felt I could deal with any physical ailment as long as I was stable mentally. I then focused on the physical ailments. Within all of this, I kept a focus on growing spiritually, knowing this was the glue that held all else together.
  5. Be aware of information overload. There is a lot of good and bad information available. More than that, there is simply a lot of information in general coming at us constantly.  Take in information in bits and pieces and avoid taking in so much that you can’t process anything. Be sure to take breaks from taking in knowledge. Let yourself relax with a good book, movie, or time with friends.
  6. Realize your helplessness and dependence on God. The hope of deliverance from the pit of depression kept me moving forward and pursuing knowledge. Most importantly, knowledge of the source of that hope and how much I depended on him kept me taking small steps.

A Lack of Knowledge

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Since you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the Law of your God, I also will forget your children.” (Hosea 4:6)

A lack of knowledge creates a severe handicap that leads to an unproductive and sometimes hopeless life. God gives us the knowledge we need to live victorious lives. Above all, as our knowledge of Him increases, He gives us opportunity to increase in knowledge in all other areas of our lives.