A DEADLY LIE

     So many lies are being served up to us daily on a silver platter -- they look tantalizing, they sound convincing and seem so real!

  We lift the lid and indulge; then wonder later why we're battling unwelcome thoughts in our hearts and minds.

     Certain lies appear innocent enough in the moment, but once they slip in the back door, it's hard to control where they roam.

     If we were sitting on my couch, sipping tea this afternoon, and I asked you what you felt was one of the most deadly lies, what would you say?

     I know what I would say...I would look you in the eyes and tell you, "One of the most deadly lies is the lie that your situation at hand doesn't have any hope!"

     In our heads, it's so easy to say, Sure, I know there's hope.  But it's not just our heads that the enemy is targeting and sometimes it's harder to convince our hearts!

     Maybe the lies seems silly, like; "There's no hope...this baby is NEVER going to sleep through the night."  I say silly only because we all know in our heads that eventually this baby won't be a baby and of course, they will sleep through the night, but...it FEELS hopeless in the moment, doesn't it?

     What about a lie, like; "There's no hope...this toddler is NEVER going to master potty training."  Again, we know in our heads that eventually this toddler will be able to use the toilet because it's part of growing up, but...it can FEEL utterly impossible in that stage, can't it?

     Then there's the more serious lies, like; "There's no hope...my husband's the way he is and it will never change.  Marriage is NEVER going to get better."  Depending on the challenges you face, that can feel like a very real possibility, and we can be completely unsure of how things could change, and...it FEELS like nothing will ever improve, doesn't it?

     If you go back and scan the three examples above what two words do you see each time?
          1) NEVER
          2) FEELS

     Do you know why it's so important to recognize those two words?  Because they are the key that unlocks the door from our head to our heart for the deadly lie of hopelessness.  

     When we hear ourselves thinking "never" and evaluating our momentary circumstances based on how we "feel" that should be like a flashing, red warning light!  "Emergency, emergency; we are determining our future based on what we see and feel, not on what God says!!!"

     We can't see what's around the corner!  We don't know what God's about to do!  We have no idea how things can turn out IF we give them over to God!

     He's the One who gets to write the endings and His Word promises us that...

•  In ALL things God works for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28)
• God will be with us in trouble and deliver us (Psalm 91:15)
• God's plans are to prosper us and give us a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11)

   
     Reflect on the areas that are causing you stress or concern -- babies, money, teenagers -- whatever it is, God is MORE than able to write the ending, but we have a part to play.  We have to give these areas over to the Lord and ask Him to be in charge.  Once we commit our ways to Him, He is freed up to work in very real, intimate ways in our lives, but He won't push His way in, He's waiting to be asked, trusted and invited.

     Don't buy the deadly lie that there is NO HOPE!  There's always hope when God is invited into the middle of our worlds!  Go to the Bible, dig for the truth that applies to your personal situation of hopeless feelings and smother it in God's truth.  Hold it tight and don't let go -- you have no idea what's just around the corner!

"You will KNOW the TRUTH

and the TRUTH WILL set you free!"

John 8:32