Truth
By Patti Kelly
We all have stories where life was going along fairly predictable, comfortable and then an incident happens that shatters us. It can be something we’ve done, something done to us, or something that happens around us but our world becomes unstable and unpredictable and we come to brokenness like we’ve never known before. In my brokenness, lies kept me in bondage to shame, guilt and feeling alone, convincing me that no one could ever care or understand.
When I was saved, I finally knew that God understood. He saw it all and he knew the pain. And I wanted to be set free from the past – I really did – but God knowing and being known by him didn’t change how I viewed myself. Even knowing how he viewed me and loved me didn’t go to the dark recesses of my soul where the lies still stood in sharp contrast to God’s truth. Oh this wretched soul was saved, but in the deep recesses of my soul I was still in a prison of my secret shame and fear.
It took me going back and facing my past by shining a light in all of the dark places of my soul and challenging the lies, and facing the fear head on, to truly make peace with the past.
Making peace with the past allowed me to replace the lies I held with the truth of who I am in Christ! New name, new identity, new beginning! We aren’t called to live desolate, alone, afraid, ashamed, guilty, like Tamar, the princess daughter of King David! We are called to the fullness and richness of life in Christ!
Yes I may have been broken, damaged, battered, abused, but the new truth is I am born again. The old is gone and the new has come. I will claim my identity as a child of the most high who tells me I am clay in the potters hand; I am God’s handiwork, a masterpiece – uniquely created for good works. He takes what is broken, damaged, battered, abused and makes something more beautiful than the original!
Yes I used to believe that my life is too big of a mess, too tangled, too heavy, too much to share, and no one cared – but – the lover of my soul unties the knots that bind us, lifts the burdens that are too heavy, and is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. Nothing is too great for him!
I have replaced the lies of “Alone, unlovable, worthless” – with the truth that with my redeemer I am never alone, that not death nor life, angel or demons, nor the present or the future, no power whether above or below, that nothing in all of creation can separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus. - I am a child of God, an heir, I am known – even the hairs of my head are numbered.
The liar claims that I am Weak and afraid – the truth is I don’t have a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. I am able to do all things through Christ who strengthens me. For when I am weak, I am strong. I am more than a conqueror! I have been set free and I am no longer in bondage to a spirit of fear. I am loved and chosen, because the gospel has given me power, the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. I have suffered grief in many trials, but these have strengthened my faith which is worth more than gold. I am an overcomer. I am part of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people, called out of the darkness into his marvelous light. He who is in me is greater than the one in the world.
Your story is my story and is his story! It’s true that in this fallen world we are broken, we are hurt, we are orphaned, and we lose our identity and our name. But the story of our life isn’t over! Our story is still being written and the ending is yet to come! And we are co-authors with Christ and we get to choose the rest of our story! God still replaces ashes with a crown of beauty, still gives us the oil of joy instead mourning, and still bestows on us a garment of praise out of despair. Captives are still being set free! We do belong, to his family. We are known and loved, by Him! The King really sent His Son to rescue his beloved princess from captivity and bring her home to the kingdom that cannot be shaken; to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to God, a consuming fire, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect… to Jesus.
Let God into the secret places, name the lies of the enemy that have taken root, and hold them up to the light of God’s word to reveal the truth! It is a battle, but it is a battle worth fighting because you are worth fighting for. And you are not alone! God is with you and He is for you! Read who you are in Christ until the old lies are replaced with TRUTH! Truth doesn’t change. It’s the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Lies on the other hand are tricky things and will shift and will whisper “yes, but”. That is the enemy! Doubt, confusion and half-truths! Beloved, meditate on the real truth in scripture about who God says you are in Christ until you really believe it in your heart, soul and mind!