Replacing Old Lies with New Truths

I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. — Romans 8:38-39

I had been going through some rotten, horrible, no-good days and was at the absolute end of knowing what to pray. I’d slipped into a habit of praying circumstance-oriented prayers where I’d list out every problem and ask God to please fix them. I even made suggestions for solutions in case my input could be useful. But nothing changed.

In a huff one day, I sat down to pray and had absolutely no words. None. I sat there staring blankly. I had no suggestions. I had no solutions. I had nothing but quiet tears. But eventually, God broke through to my worn-out heart. A thought rushed through my mind and caught me off guard.

I know you want Me to change your circumstances, Lysa. But, right now I want to focus on changing you. Even perfect circumstances won’t satisfy you like letting Me change the way you think.

I didn’t like what I heard during this first time of silently sitting with the Lord, but at least I felt I was connecting with God. I hadn’t felt that in a long time. And so I started making it a habit to sit quietly before the Lord.

Sometimes I cried. Sometimes I sat with a bad attitude. Sometimes I sat with a heart so heavy I wasn’t sure I’d be able to carry on much longer. But as I sat, I pictured God sitting there with me. He was there already and I eventually sensed that. I experienced what the apostle Paul taught when he wrote,

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. — Romans 8:26

As I sat in silence, the Spirit interceded with perfect prayers on my behalf. I didn’t have to figure out what to pray or how to pray about this situation that seemed so consuming. I just had to be still and sit with the Lord. And during those sitting times, I started to discern changes I needed to make in response to my circumstances.

If we are really going to make progress toward lasting changes, we have to empty ourselves of the lie that other people or things can ever fill our hearts to the full.

Then we have to deliberately and intentionally fill up on God’s truths and stand secure in His love.

I have to mentally replace the lies using some of my favorite verses to remind myself of just how filling God’s love really is. Here’s one that really helps me:

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. — Romans 8:38-39

I want to encourage you to think on some of your favorite verses and write out some old lies and new truths on your own. Sweet friend, the process of stripping away old lies is hard and can produce raw feelings. That’s why it’s so crucial to have truths with which to replace them.

Dear Lord, please help me to recognize the lies I need to let go of. I want to fill up on Your truth instead. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Excerpted with permission from Embraced by Lysa TerKeurst, copyright Lysa TerKeurst.

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Your Turn

Our lives are lived between our ears and what we choose to think has so much weight in how we feel and how things go. No wonder the enemy spends so much time lying to us and wearing us out! Today, let’s sit before the Lord in quietude and ask Him to fill us to the full. Come share your thoughts with us on our blog. We want to hear from you! ~ Laurie McClure, Faith.Full