I’m a messed-up human being. I don’t mean I’m particularly deranged—just that I was born broken and have reached the plateau of adulthood carrying some flaws with me. The biggest flaw? I believe lies…sometimes.
Here’s a law of life that can’t be avoided or broken: The way I think determines what I believe, which determines how I act, which creates my path and all of its rewards and consequences. Ultimately, life’s trajectory is a result of my beliefs.
When I mess up and sin, it’s always because I’ve believed a lie. I’ll give you some examples…
- I’ll just do this once.
- Nobody knows…or cares.
- Everybody does this.
- This is just who I am.
- I’ve gone too far and there is no turning back now.
- No one could ever really love me.
Any of those ring a bell? Whether whispers from the enemy, or sad chants we’ve accidentally learned to repeat, they are destructive. So today, tomorrow and every day thereafter, I need to start my day by ingesting truth. I believe the only source of absolute truth is in the Bible, the Word of God. So I use YouVersion’s reading plans to help me take it in each day. But that’s not all I need. I don’t mean God’s word is insufficient. I simply mean I need to personalize what I’ve read so I can do and live the essence and meaning of it.
As for my particular struggles, there are some truths I remind myself of daily these days. The things you need to hear repeatedly in your walk will probably vary from mine, but these are truths I cling to:
The Truth About Me and God
- I am not God. I am powerless, helpless, lost and broken without Him.
- God loves me and showed how much He loves and values me by sending Jesus to the cross for me.
- I cannot stop God from loving and valuing me because it’s about His character, not my behavior.
- In Christ, I have the limitless power that raised Jesus from the dead working in me, so victory is always achievable.
- The Holy Spirit wants to do His work in me at all times. I simply must yield at all times.
The Truth About Me and Myself
- I cannot control my circumstances, but I am absolutely in control of my responses. Blame nothing.
- I am responsible for all of my actions, attitudes and behaviors. Blame no one.
- I am capable of accomplishing anything to which God has called me.
- My default is to be defensive and make excuses, which flow from pride and insecurity.
- I can always, always choose better.
The Truth About Me and My Family
- My wife is a beautiful gift from God and deserves my attention, my affection, my protection and my devotion.
- My wife is for me, shows me grace and respect when I don’t deserve it and loves me faithfully.
- My kids need a dad who is stable, strong, safe and loving.
- My kids need a dad who loves their mom and proves it.
- I am the dad, the priest and the pastor who will be held responsible for my family’s spiritual welfare.
The Truth About Me and My Church
- Jesus died for His church. It is His alone, and He values it immeasurably.
- God has called me to be an undershepherd of His flock, leading and feeding them on His behalf.
- I am not responsible for the choices others make, but I am responsible for equipping people under my care for spiritual maturity.
- I am the leader, whether I feel adequate or not, so I need to make the tough decisions and be in front.
- I am here to grow spiritually healthy people. People don’t exist to make me successful. I exist to help them be like Jesus.
The Truth About Me and My Culture
- The world will squeeze me into its mold unless I fully surrender to God and choose His path.
- Cursing the darkness is exhausting, pointless and ultimately counterproductive to God’s goal for the world.
- I need to be light, salt and a voice of truth within the territory of the deceiver.
- Everyone needs Jesus. Everyone belongs in God’s family.
- Isolation from culture helps no one. Imitation of culture helps no one. Infiltrating culture is my calling.
I don’t always remember all of these truths. When I forget them, things go badly. When I am reminded of them, I can stand strong and walk confidently. Truth leaks, leaving room for the lies of the enemy. Hearing truth and applying it repetitiously is the only way to win.
