I pray that prayer almost daily, because there are so many conflicting voices that surround and confuse and violate what I know God says about me.
Beautiful soul, if you’re anything like me, you have given in to believing lies about yourself way too many times.
Sometimes these lies are ingrained in us, we are raised to unconsciously believe they are true, whether by cultural or family influences, and it can get so confusing to discern what is true and what is false. Sometimes these lies come direct from the mouths of people. People who mattered to you. People you thought you mattered to. People you trusted. “GOOD” people. People with influence and power. Sometimes these lies play on a loop in your head like a bad pop song. Anyone else? #toxic
I know some of you are nodding your heads in agreement right now with well-meaning judgement and validation, but let me rain on that parade for a sec…
We can so easily blame those that planted those seeds of lies in us, all the negative words and criticism they deposited into us – and it feels better to blame – I know. BUT it’s not their fault. They are human, too. Humans that have chosen to believe their own lies about themselves at one point or another.
Humans that probably don’t even remember most of the words they said to you that you allowed to lay the groundwork for your entire self image.
We don’t get to blame them for feeding us these lies. WE are the ones who made the decision to believe them. We are the ones who made them our truth, who elevated their words above God’s word – even when we have the knowledge of and the access to THE truth of what He says about us.
We are not responsible for what is said to us or about us, but we are completely responsible for what we do with it.
The power isn’t in the words it’s in the soil they fall on. Just like we can’t control the rain, we can’t control the words that are spoken to us, but we can decide if we are going to let them take root, or head straight to Lowe’s for some round up because ain’t nobody got time for those entangling lies of the enemy. Those weeds are deadly.
It’s easy to weed out the obvious voices. The instagram “haters” you don’t even know in real life. That friend who doesn’t live her life in a way that you would ever take advice from her… but it gets so tricky when the lies come from the mouths of those you thought you trusted.
Never confuse the voice of authority or critics with the voice of God. If it brings negativity, self doubt, confusion, insecurity, fear, and shame…. hold it up to the word of God.
It’s one thing if God uses leaders to bring along conviction, but He will never use someone to bring condemnation. My God did not come to shame and belittle, but to SAVE, and REDEEM.
If those words don’t hold up to that standard…
PLUCK. THEM. WEEDS.
Repeat after me, dear friends:
I am a child of God.
I am loved by Him for nothing more or less than simply being HIS.
My identity is in Him and Him alone.
I do not need to impress.
I do not need to convince.
I am worthy because of the price He paid.
I am whole and complete because I have Christ.
Jesus + nothing = everything.
He has completely redeemed my past and He has plenty of grace for my future.
He knows I am going to mess up again and again, and His love and mercy are not lessened by the knowledge of that.
He knows the hurt I have, and the bitter, hard edges of my heart that still have yet to be softened.
His faithfulness is not based on my perfection, performance, or progress report.
He has already called me, chosen me, and is using me for His glory.
I am anointed, again, not because of my perfection, but because of HIS.
The only thing I need to pursue is Him.
The only thing I need to chase is Him.
The only approval I need comes from Him.
If I keep my eyes and heart on Him and Him alone, He keeps me close.
If I fail, He doesn’t remove His anointing, His protection, His leadership, His faithfulness, or His grace from my life.
He knows my heart, and while He will reveal the areas that need healing and restoration, He will not punish me for being a work in progress. My rough edges do not shock Him. My obedience to God is not the same thing as my obedience to men. And my relationship with God is direct access, no going around loopholes and through others. He wants to spend time with ME. At church, but also in my car and in the Starbucks line. He wants to speak to ME. Through pastors, sure, but also right directly to my heart with His gentle, yet undeniable whisper.
I am not responsible for any one else’s insecurity. I was not born to please everyone. I was not placed on this earth to keep a thousand plates spinning perfectly in order gain everyone’s fleeting approval.
God calls me His own. He chose me. Not like that last-one-picked-in-kickball-again kind of choosing, but a rolling-out-the-red-carpet kind of celebratory choosing.
He looks at me with the joy and pride of a loving father. And there is nothing I can do in my human strength to change that.
God, I have a CHOICE to reject the lies from the enemy and believe your truth, and I know that the truth will set me FREE.
I am who YOU say I am.
Loved.
Called.
Worthy.
Enough.
Daughter (or son) of the one true king, the only one deserving of all the glory and power and honor and praise.
God, you made me ME for a reason, and I will stop trying to fit into a mold you never shaped me for. I surrender to you, and I believe what you say of me.
Amen.
I think it’s about time we put more stock in the truth of what He says about us than in the words of the humans who have hurt us.
What lies have you believed or held on to? Is it time to call them out and take away their power? I think so.
