Think on this.
June 24, 2008
Ellie rushed into my arms sobbing. As I stroked her back and wiped the tears from her flushed cheeks, she confessed the problem: “Zachary called me a BOY!!”
“Honey, are you a boy?”
“No.”
“Then don’t worry about it.”
She gets her sensitivity from me. It sounds silly for her to be so upset over a little thing like being called a boy, but it was serious to her. It hurts when people say things that aren’t true. Over the past month I’ve lost seven pounds thanks to the stress and criticism diet. And that’s without even touching my new Pilates chair! I’ve been dealing with someone whom I believed to be a friend, but who has chosen to speak and believe lies about me. And these opinions have been shared with others without offering me a single opportunity to respectfully disagree. It’s extremely hurtful.
But just like Ellie, I’ve been focusing on the wrong things. Rather than trying to defend myself or logically argue my side, I need to focus on the truth. I know what has been said about me is not true. I know the source of these lies does not know me well enough to make such harsh judgements. Furthermore, I know Who my true judge is! I need to focus on the truth — not just the opposite of what is being said, but also the truth of Whom I serve. I don’t need people to like me or even be nice to me. I need only to seek God in all things and strive to serve Him perfectly. It is only His opinion of me that matters.
I told Ellie: “You know you’re not a boy. I know you’re not a boy. Even Zach knows you’re not a boy. Think about what is true and don’t worry about the rest.”
And so I tell myself: “You know you love God. You know you’re doing your very best to serve Him. You know He loves you unconditionally. Think about what is true and don’t worry about the rest.”
The truth sets us free from the burden to please others, the guilt of falling short, the anger and bitterness caused by injustice, the hurt caused by those who harm us. The truth sets us free from sin and all that results from it.
Are you focusing on truth today? What has been distracting you from the freedom He offers?
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1.
Kellie | June 24, 2008 at 4:56 PM
Wow, this is such a transparent post.
It’s amazing how the Lord speaks to us through the role as parent!
I have been thinking so much this week about “thoughts”, and how God hold us responsible not just for what we say or what we do, but how we THINK!
So many of the decisions I make, or the things I do, or the things I say are all a result of what I am thinking in the moment. It’s so easy to fall in the trap of pleasing “man” rather than pleasing God. It is often the thoughts in my own head that keep me from freedom!
When I am seeking Truth I always do so much better! It’s just the remembering Truth in difficult situations is so difficult!
Thank you for posting this…it’s so very true, but more importantly it points me TO Truth!
2.
Tanya | June 24, 2008 at 5:30 PM
I’m with you! Our thoughts are the root of our actions. Unfortunately, I tend to get all frazzled and crazy before I remember the Truth I already know.
3.
Karen | June 24, 2008 at 9:08 PM
“I’ll call you tomorrow,” says the stress-anorexic.
4.
spaghettipie | June 26, 2008 at 10:09 PM
Tanya, thanks so much for sharing this. Why is it so easy to stay focused on things other than the truth? Someone once told me that Satan whispers lies to us in our own voice. We’ve got to cling to the truth and hide it in our hearts so we can discern truth from lies.