The Curse of Overexposure
In Ecclesiastes 1:18 “For with much wisdom comes much sorrow the more knowledge the more grief.”
Truth is valuable and essential, yet its careless or excessive consumption can be detrimental. We are inundated with a vast array of information, ranging from global justice issues to the private thoughts of individuals, the downfall of leaders, and spiritual truths that we may not be equipped to comprehend. There exists a delicate balance between enlightenment and sensory overload.
When Adam and Eve consumed the fruit, they did not merely acquire knowledge; humanity lost something irreplaceable…they lost the tranquility that accompanies the absence of the need to know everything. This same loss occurs today when we indiscriminately open every door, click on every link, and uncover every hidden aspect without the application of wisdom or spiritual preparedness.
In Genesis 2:15…17, the Lord God placed man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. The Lord God cautioned, “You are welcome to eat the fruit of any tree in the garden, with the exception of the tree of knowledge of good and evil; consuming its fruit will surely result in death.” This passage highlights modern society’s preoccupation with acquiring knowledge irrespective of consequences, often absorbing both beneficial and detrimental information indiscriminately.
We are constantly bombarded with so…called “truth” and everything in between it can be good but also evil and how do you decipher what is truth and a lie on social media platforms, news sites, private chats, and everywhere else. Whether it’s on the News, Telegram, X (formerly known as Twitter), TikTok, Facebook, or Instagram, and podcasters we encounter it nonstop.
The Spiritual Need for Mystery
Mystery should not be viewed as an adversary of truth but rather as the nurturing ground from which truth can emerge securely. There are aspects that God intentionally conceals, not as a form of punishment, but to offer protection. Certain answers are too burdensome for the human soul to bear without the guidance of divine timing and grace. Spiritual discernment indicates that certain truths are not required to be comprehended instantly; some truths are revealed gradually, while others are intended to remain within the domain of divine authority. In an era that demands complete transparency and instantaneous knowledge, it is essential for the soul to learn to trust without the necessity of immediate understanding. Sometimes leaving things to mystery is beneficial. However, many of us desire to know more than we can manage, which leads us to encounter misinformation and disinformation that can be harmful. It is advisable not to indulge excessively in curiosity. Trusting in a higher power or process, as the saying goes, “trust the plan, trust the process,” is preferable to relying solely on our understanding. Allowing knowledge to unfold organically and naturally can prevent the overwhelming impact of excessive information, especially when it is false, which often results in pain and grief. Disconnecting from the inundation of knowledge and information can be beneficial and healthy for the mind.
Reclaiming Your Peace
If you find yourself experiencing burnout from excessive exposure to truth and knowledge, understand that you are not alone, nor are you weak or lacking in faith; you are simply human. The soul is not designed for constant exposure and requires moments of stillness and sacred mystery. We need a return to environments that rejuvenate us. Begin by establishing boundaries regarding what you consume. Let spirituality and truth be your foundation rather than the noise of the world. Returning to silence creates space for all elements once more. Not knowing everything is not ignorance; it is humility.
We are not meant to bear the burdens of the world; that responsibility belongs to God. In a culture inundated with constant information, we have trained ourselves to believe that peace is achieved through understanding everything, grasping every perspective, uncovering every motive, consuming every truth, and never being uninformed. However, the more we know, the heavier our emotional load becomes, making it increasingly difficult to find rest. Sacred peace is not passive, it is safeguarded. It is a deliberate act of stepping back from the noise and seeking refuge in the spirit. Peace does not appear when all our questions are answered; it manifests when the heart recalls who holds the answers. There is wisdom in acknowledging that we do not need to know everything. Rest lies in admitting that certain matters are beyond us, but not beyond God. Slow down, filter information through the spirit rather than fear, and allow God to keep some things hidden. Regularly seek moments of retreat, not only during periods of distress. Inner peace is not attained through understanding everything; rather, it is achieved through letting go of the need for complete comprehension or knowledge acquisition. Trusting in others who understand can be beneficial. Sometimes it is better to leave the apple on the tree and walk away.
Apple of Knowledge Still Hangs
The apple still hangs on the tree, and its symbolic form, headlines, secrets, and endless truths are presented without compassion. We are tempted daily to bite into more than we can spiritually digest. However, we can choose differently; we can choose to guard our peace and protect our spirit.
In the Garden of Eden, peace was not a pursuit but a default setting. The human soul lived in innocence, untouched by tension. With one bite of forbidden fruit, the eyes of humanity were opened, and we have been wrestling with that burden ever since. There comes a point when the soul grows weary…not from lies, but from too much truth. Not because truth is wrong, but because we were never meant to hold it all at once.
In our pursuit of knowledge, we mistakenly equate knowing everything with being wise. True wisdom, however, knows when to stop, when to listen, and when to trust. Some truths are for the moment, others for a season, and some are not for us at all. In an age that encourages us to open our eyes, it often results in an aching heart.
We live with the consequences of seeking too much information, losing peace in the process. Yet, we can choose to trust instead, choosing not to carry what is not ours to bear, stepping out of the flood of information and into a state of tranquility. In the end, knowing everything is not as important as trusting the right sources of information.
Staying Away from the Unforbidden Apple
Gaining knowledge can be valuable, but it is important to consider the costs associated with it. The pursuit of understanding often involves a trade-off. We did not seek knowledge to be rebellious, but rather out of a desire to comprehend. Our quest was driven by a hunger for insight, control, and awareness. However, this pursuit came at a price. While we gained knowledge, we lost our innocence. By seeking understanding, we disrupted our peace. In chasing truth without reverence, we exchanged stillness for restlessness, mastery for confusion, and communion for uncertainty. It is not that truth itself is detrimental, but the pursuit of truth without wisdom can become burdensome. Ultimately, the true fruits of the spirit include peace, love, and faith—elements that may elude complete understanding.
Proverbs 3: 5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all our ways acknowledge him and he shall direct our paths.”
In King James Version of the bible, it says in Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ.”
Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for the lack of knowledge because thou has rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee that thou shalt be no priest to me seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”
1st Peter 1: 2-8. 2“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our lord. 3According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. 4 Whereby are given unto us exceedingly great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust, 5 and besides this, giving all diligence add to your faith, virtue and to virtue knowledge, 6and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness, 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things, be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall never be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our lord Jesus Christ.”
Finally, Psalms 44:10 “Knowledge speaks, he says be still and know that I am God I will be exalted among the nations, and I will be exalted in the earth.”
Sources and Insight:
- The Holy Bible (King James Version)
- CBN.com
