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| Beth Herrington Kruprzak 2025 |
As autumn settles in, the air grows cooler, the trees blaze
with color, and creation displays God’s artistry in every leaf that falls.
There’s something peaceful about this time of year — the rhythm of change, the
crisp mornings, the comfort of warm drinks and quiet reflection. The beauty of
creation reminds us that God is still at work, renewing, restoring, and
revealing His presence in the details of our world.
But alongside this season of beauty comes another influence
— one that often disguises darkness in the costume of fun. As October arrives,
so do the decorations of ghosts, witches, and images that glorify fear, death,
and superstition. What the world calls playful or harmless, God’s Word warns us
to discern.
This is where our thinking must be carefully filtered — through the lens of truth,
not cultural tradition or emotional appeal.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by
the renewal of your mind,
that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and
acceptable and perfect.”
— Romans 12:2 (ESV)
We are constantly surrounded by voices — news,
entertainment, social media, and even well-meaning people — all offering
opinions about what is right and true. Without realizing it, we start filtering
information through what feels right to me instead of what is right
before God.
Faulty thinking says:
- If
it feels good, it must be okay.
- Everyone
else is doing it, so it’s probably harmless.
- I
can separate fun from faith — it doesn’t really affect me.
But Scripture teaches that our thoughts shape our actions,
and our actions reveal our heart. When we allow worldly ideas or cultural
trends to guide us, our thinking becomes distorted. We begin to live by
half-truths and illusions, much like the playful deception that Halloween
celebrates — tricks that appear innocent but mask a deeper distortion of truth.
“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is
the way to death.”
— Proverbs 14:12 (ESV)
God’s Word does not shift with the seasons or change with
popular opinion. His truth remains steady, clear, and trustworthy. It leads us
away from confusion and toward understanding, away from illusion and into
light.
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
— Psalm 119:105 (ESV)
When we run every idea, tradition, and belief through the
filter of Scripture, we discover that truth doesn’t always align with what we want
to believe — but it always leads to what will bring peace, joy, and life. God’s
Word purifies our thoughts like a refining fire, removing the impurities of
pride, fear, and deception.
“Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who
take refuge in him.”
— Proverbs 30:5 (ESV)
Halloween is a clear example of how the world often blurs
the line between darkness and light. What began as superstition has been
dressed up as entertainment — and yet, beneath the costumes and candy lies a
fascination with death, fear, and evil. The enemy delights in convincing us
that darkness is harmless if we laugh at it, or that sin is manageable if we
rename it “fun.”
But light and darkness cannot coexist. The more we accept
deception, the less sensitive we become to truth. The illusion may appear
playful, but the spiritual cost can be real — dulling our discernment and
making light of what God calls evil.
“Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but
instead expose them.”
— Ephesians 5:11 (ESV)
A biblical worldview doesn’t mean rejecting joy or
imagination — it means anchoring those joys in truth. God invites us to
celebrate the beauty of His creation, to enjoy fellowship, laughter, and wonder
— but to do so in ways that honor Him and reflect His holiness.
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is
commendable,
if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about
these things.”
— Philippians 4:8 (ESV)
When we filter our thinking through this kind of truth, we
begin to see clearly. What once seemed harmless now appears in its true light.
What once felt confusing becomes clarified. The Spirit of God transforms our
minds so we can live in spiritual wisdom and discernment.
“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war
according to the flesh…
We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of
God,
and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”
— 2 Corinthians 10:3, 5 (ESV)
Every autumn, I’m drawn outside to the quiet beauty of
falling leaves and golden light. I see God’s faithfulness written across the
hills — a reminder that even in dying seasons, His glory shines. Yet, it also
reminds me how easily the world can twist beauty into imitation. Just as leaves
can be plastic and light can be artificial, so can our understanding of truth
when it’s filtered through emotion rather than Scripture.
I’ve learned that my thoughts need constant correction. When
I catch myself reasoning from preference rather than principle, I pause and
ask: Does this thought align with the Word of God? If not, I surrender
it and ask the Holy Spirit to renew my mind. Because the outcome of my thinking
will always determine the direction of my life.
“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” — John
17:17 (ESV)
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