In many ways, the week will probably be typical. Time for study. Time for a few meetings. Time for people. Usually, someone is in the middle of some sort of crisis. (This week is already no exception.) Seeing someone go through a crisis is something I never get used to. That is something I hope I never get used to.
In the meantime, I am thinking through a number of possible messages for next year. (I have in mind the school year, beginning in August.) As I mentioned in a post a few weeks ago, I try to think about what I am going to teach/preach about a year in advance. This is not a rigid plan. Yet, it does give me the opportunity to have time to think, pray, and linger over messages long before I attempt to communicate. (Nothing is worse than speaking or hearing a message that came out of the "microwave" when it should have cooked long and slowly in a "crockpot.")
Right now I am thinking about some sort of series that deals with the lies that we as people often believe which in turn either bring us or our loved ones harm. Why? I have seen so many of us make poor (and even disastrous) decisions based on some of these lies. In my own life, I know the temptation to believe a lie. It can be a subtle lie and appear to be reasonable, justifiable, and even harmless.
A few of the lies I have in mind:
- Marriage shouldn’t be this hard.
- Life should always be fun.
- How could this be wrong if it feels right?
- I have a right to be happy.
I want to ask you a question.
I would like to put together a list of some of the "best" lies that many of us believe. What lies have you seen friends and family buy into? Is there a particular lie that you bought into at one time and then you finally saw it for what it was? Is there a lie that seems harmless and yet is deadly?
You may normally just read the blog and not comment. I want to encourage you to comment on this one. Your input will be helpful to me.
I could be happy if only…………………………..
One that can be modified that I’ve bought into is that of secret sin… "Its OK if it only effects me."
One of the biggest lies I have bought into (and still struggle with) is the need for control over my life and my circumstances. I often find myself in prayer and surrendering to God only after my own efforts have fallen short and left me defeated.
Running a close second is the lie that I must be perfect to gain God’s love and favor.
As a single Christian, one of the lies that I hear so often (and sometimes fall for) is that I am not a "complete" person if I’m not married with a family. While I believe that God has given me a great desire to be a wife and mother someday, God is presently using me as a single woman, and I am a whole woman because I am HIS, not because of my marital status.
I appreciate your determination to study and meditate on these topics before launching into a sermon series. Food cooked in the crock pot always tastes better than microwaved!
Many of us believe that age old lie "that could never happen to me"
In my experience, we don’t take care to protect ourselves from this sin —we tend to become very judgemental and unmerciful about this sin. All too often it seems that very sin comes and lives at our house. By then the damage is usually severe.
PeaceNeva
How about this one: "I can’t tell anyone about this because I nobody I know has ever had this problem."
Or this one: "I can’t tell anyone because they may not love me anymore if they knew."
Or: "What happens at church isn’t relevant to me. I will just worship my way, on my own."
Can you tell my bible study this morning was on isolation?
A couple of lies I’ve believed at various times include . . .
That being dishonest is sometimes necessary.
That we deserve to be happy.
I have more than a few lies against which I contend: that God is not good, i.e., that He does not want to do good for me in this life; that my heavenly Father is as my earthly father was; that He owes me no mercy or grace and, further, is not desirous of giving me either. Pernicious and insidious are the lies of the Enemy.
ahh… believable lies – what a great list, so far.
I think in USAmerica the lie that many believe and maybe even our country/civilization is built on is…
“I deserve better…”
Great stuff!
My problems and circumstances are worse than anyone else’s. Poor me!
Just say, "Charge it!"
Thanks everyone. These are wonderful lies! Jim
Some of my lies that I still carry with me:
I do not deserve to be happy.
I am not good enough.
God is not there because I am in so much pain and suffering.
Why does my problems not go away? God does not care for me! He has abandoned me, I have done something that shut Him off.
There are many many lies that I carry with me and it’s only when I read His promises and learn to trust God’s spirit to transform my life and realise that it’s the deceptive work of Satan trying to lure me away from God himself.
I second Lisa’s statement above, that single people aren’t "complete" until they are married. I can’t tell you how many times that has been implied to me. However, I also have to add that one of the big lies I hear a lot is that "it’s not okay to hurt if you’re a Christian." Everything must ALWAYS be okay, we must ALWAYS be happy and cheerful. And THAT lie prevents people from being honest and getting the help they need.
one of the lies I have heard is that it is my spouse’s job to complete me and make me happy
Just thought of one more that I hear a lot: "I don’t live by any lies; I live by the truth that is in the Bible."
i agree with all of tim’s… another is…loving others means putting yourself last and becoming a doormat
Again, thanks to everyone for this list. It is ongoing. You have made me think.It is interesting that as I read through these various lies, I found myself thinking at times, Hmmmmmmm.Some of these lies felt a little too familiar.Thanks.
The lie that the devil’s forced on me for much of my life until recently is in expectations of never being happy.
In my job: As in, "you’ll never be happy in your job, no matter where you work." And, "if you go back to this career, all the same awful things you were miserable in will be there in some form."
In other areas of my life: "Don’t expect anything better, or even good. You’ll be disappointed in the end by something or other." This extended to vacations, family visits (a real point of misery), hobbies, even everything I attempt in life. Oh, and especially finding a church family, since we’ve recently moved to a new state.
All I can say in reply to this evil is from Jer. 29:11-14 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity."
A lie I hear and think of myself is "God could never forgive me for that"
I know I’m late on this but another one that I see quite often is "Any mental illness or disorder is a result of personal sin."
Jen, You are too late at all. I am watching this particular list of comments. These are incredibly helpful.