As I mentioned previously, I’m writing a list here of the lies I used to believe. This is a honest attempt to examplify God’s great love and mercy for each and every one of us. We are not called to live in bondage and fear, but in love. How are we to live in love, if we don’t know what it is? God radically changed my heart this past summer in what this actually is to me.
This is stuff straight from God to me from this summer. It’s also straight from my journal, lol 😉 Some things I still have no idea what they mean or the significance, but it’s still good and I know God will reveal it to me in due time.
LIE-I am not worthy of love.
TRUTH-
- I was made for love.
- I have called you into love, because I love you and want you to show it to the world.
- My love is for you, there is none other that I would rather be with.
- Take joy in my love! (Believe me, I have!)
LIE-I am not beautiful.
TRUTH-
TRUTH-
- I am His beautiful bride, whom He is waiting to sweep her off her feet.
- I am His treasure; He delights in me.
- Just like a treasure chest, there are things inside that are prizes and that are things that are good characteristics, things He loves.
LIE-People will only love me if I’m fun or happy.
TRUTH-
TRUTH-
- Take joy in my love.
- I have given you these people for a reason.
- It’s okay to mourn and grieve. Joy is NOT the same thing as happiness.
- You aren’t perfect, but yet I have called you into fellowship with other believers.
LIE-Love isn’t for me, everyone’s out to get me.
TRUTH-
TRUTH-
- This love IS for me! Why would Jesus die on the cross to leave me without being able to love or accept love?
- I am loved and this love is from God.
- The King is in love with me.
- Live out of my love. If you try to love without having me, it will never work.
LIE-My identity is found in what others think of me.
TRUTH-
TRUTH-
I haven’t meditated on this one yet, but I do know that my identity is not found in my peers, family, work, etc. I know my identity is found in Christ and in Christ alone. Haha, as hard as this is to say, I am guilty of believing this since I’ve been drawing nearer and nearer to people since I’ve been home from Peru. With this, please pray that God would reveal my true identity and that I would see my identity is not based off of what I do or am going to do, but God’s unending love.
I do know this.
- I am a child of the King.
- I’m a prized possession.
- I am loved.
And finally, this one does not deal with love, well it does, but is not the basis for love. I was succombed by despair for God knows how long, but replaced the despair and lies with joy. So enjoy this!
LIE-I can’t have joy unless I’m happy. Joy depends on my circumstances.
TRUTH-
- Because I have salvation, my joy does not depend on circumstance. (I’ve had joy since I’ve accepted Christ.)
- Nehemiah 8:10-“The Joy of The Lord is My Strength.”
- Psalm 27:1-2
- Rachel, reflect on what I’ve done for you while you’ve been here (Peru). I have brought you from a place of death to a place of life through joy.
- “This is How We Overcome”-Hillsong United
- Rachel, take heart in my truth. The more truth you receive, the more joy you will have.
- You know that you can either stand in a place of death and let the lies attack and plague you, or you can stand in the light and know my truth brings joy and life.
- My joy will not be found in anything other than Jesus Christ himself.
- Joy is an option and decision. I can choose to live in joy or I can choose to live in death. So, what’s it going to be, Rachel?
Sorry this was soo long, but I felt like I needed to write it, probably more so for myself than anything else. But be encouraged by this and know God is truly in Love with you and desires so much more of you (and me) everyday!
