The Lies We Tell Ourselves

Hey guys - hope everyone is having a great Tuesday! The weather here is gorgeous! We just grilled out - so nice! Anyways...down to business....

I read a blog today that really impacted me. In talking about the importance of guarding our words, he referenced Proverbs 15:4 - "The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit"

While there are a million ways to apply this to the words we say to and about others or the lies we tell to or about others - it didn't strike me that way. Thinking about a "deceitful tongue" really makes me think about the lies I tell myself. The way that my spirit has been crushed by the lies I've been telling myself for years.

The lies started when I was a kid - I adopted other people's thoughts about me and made them truths. When kids, and then teenagers, teased me and called me names, over time I made them my reality. When I dated guys who told me I'd be so pretty if I would just lose weight, I accepted that I was unattractive and unworthy. I received, and then internalized, constant messages that I wasn't complete because of my weight. All the comments of "You are so smart, so talented, so kind...if only you could lose weight" made me feel like (and believe) I wasn't good enough because I was overweight. On top of that, every failed attempt to lose weight made me believe that I can't do it. That I'll always be fat.

Here's what I know: I believe in God's promises. I believe that everything is possible through Christ. I've allowed my own spirit to be crushed by my negative self talk. The great news is that I can undo that damage. It's not going to happen overnight, but in time, I can rebuild my spirit - I can believe in myself and my strength. And I can do this. But it starts by stopping the lies I've told myself and starting a new chapter.

What lies do you tell yourself?