You know statistically speaking, it is ridiculously easier to believe the lies we are so ungenerously bestowed from the onset of our conception than the Truth of the One who formed us.
The Truth is always speaking, but the lies are thickly seeping into our well-meaning thoughts and conversation like a toxic gas leak, so subtle and ubiquitous it blurs our vision slowly and makes us wreak collectively of falsehood until some saintly prophet stops and begins to clear the air. But in hearts so conditioned to live in fear the prophet-speak may be warped grossly into shame and breed a festering isolation. You know it does sound unpleasant, but self-pity loves a party where it can stick a pin through every place an imperfection could be until we are stuck thoroughly through, immobilized by criticism and loathing. And so sits our hearts, perhaps unbeknownst even to our own minds, but when it comes up in conversation or situation - that one thing, you know the one? - it hits a pressure point and we crumple or explode or freeze because latent lies seize every opportunity to terrorize us, but like, it’s funny, right? Self-deprecation and making a joke of our dear depression, our loneliness? Ha. Hilarious. So when it comes up, and it does, we make a slip-shod quip and are on our way, outwardly. Inwards, the overarm drops and the record starts spinning, scratching out the notes of that one shortcoming. Round and round, on repeat. Idiot. Ugly. Unwanted. Failure. Fraud. Mistake. And it’s a steady beating. And it’s so loud in our thoughts we’re dead certain anyone in proximity is hearing the same thing of us and believing it and it’s debilitating. So we must give ourselves the grace to pause. Take the overarm off that spinning record, remove the record, and just breathe. Frankly, we don’t occupy the headspace of others as much as we think we do, and the ones who are thinking of us often are likely sending love. Breathe. Shake shoulders loose. Get in the sunlight. Look that track of lies in the face honestly and see it for what it is: Misconceptions blown out of proportion. Now when it comes up again, and it will, we have to choose to not set that record scratching, but instead to pause and listen. The Truth is always speaking. The Truth is consistent in its narrative and its intentions. The Truth sees the image of God in us when we do not recognize it in ourselves. The Truth is God made flesh and human fully feeling the entire weight of lies, wrath, and evil and swallowing that brutal pain so that we don’t have to. We may choose to take on that burden, but it is not for us, it has been paid in full by grace unfathomable and legitimate. The Truth is more persistent than the lies. The Truth has died and resurrected and spoken life into the cosmos, and the lies can only die when they are met with the light of Truth. So when it comes up, be humble and listen. The Truth is always speaking. Comments are closed.
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AuthorI write to process. I write to explore. I write with the hope of sharing truth greater than my own. Archives
February 2022
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