Lies

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I don't know about you, but there are a lot of lies I buy into on a pretty regular basis. 

These little gems are so incredibly tempting to believe because they are specially and specifically crafted for me by the master manipulator, the Father of Lies himself. You see, Satan cannot truly create, he can only twist and contort. And that's what a lie is: a truth contorted.

In fact, if you think you've never been entangled in spiritual warfare, ask yourself, What lies have I been believing?

Here are a few of mine:

Lie #1: I am a horrible friend. 

Truth: I drop the ball in my friendships sometimes. I care deeply about others, but I'm not always the best at showing it. I can be flighty and busy and self-consumed, and I wish I was better at meeting people's needs and being God's hands and feet. I am constantly inspired by and learning from others in this area. That's the thing though: I want to be better, and with the help of the Holy Spirit I will be. A truly horrible friend wouldn't see the need to improve.

Lie #2: I am a horrible mother.

Truth: Being a mother is a lot. It's one of the hardest things I can imagine doing with my life, but also one of the best. Sometimes I set the wrong example or say the wrong thing. Sometimes I see other parents saying Yes to the things I say No to, or saying No to the things I say Yes to, and I wonder if they're doing things better than I am. I yell a lot more than I ever thought I would. I react in anger a lot more than I should. I am not the perfect mom, but I LOVE my kids. 

I love to snuggle them up and comfort them when they get a booboo. I sacrifice for them, and some of the time I'm even happy to do it. When they are hard to love, I pray that God will help me to see them through His eyes. I pray they will somehow see God in me as much as I see God in them. I am a mother who sees her shortcomings and prays that God will bridge the gap. That is not so horrible.

Lie #3: I have no talents. 

Truth: I am good at a lot of things. I might not be the best at all the things I like to do, but that doesn't mean I'm the worst. 

When checking the stats on my food blog the other day, I received the following message: "Not enough views to generate a report." Ouch. I had been expanding my social media presence and hoping to see an increase in views, but what I saw was the opposite. As a creator, I hurt when I put my heart into something and it is not received well. 

However, while I may covet words of affirmation, they do not determine the value of my work. What makes a creation good is not the praise it receives, but rather the value it brings to its creator and, more importantly, to The Creator. God has put many interests and desires in my heart, and if I do those things in a way that honors Him, it doesn't matter how many followers I have or "likes" I get from the world.

Satan knows I have insecurities in all of these areas, and he exploits them. He knows that if he can get me into a downward spiral of self-indulgent pity or self-disdain, I will be distracted from all the good that God wants to do in and through me. I bet the same is true for you. Maybe the lies he tells you are different, but the motive is the same.

Don't believe what Satan tells you. You are better than he wants you to believe because you are powered by a God who is better than you could ever be on your own. 

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world, he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. Revelation 12:9

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12

The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy, but I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

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