The Lies We Hear
Lie #1 ‘My worth is defined by how I look!’
This is one of the lies SO many young women believe and it is SO wrong! The enemy would just love us to believe this lie: that our inherent worth and value lies in how we look, what body shape we have, whether we have tanned skin or pale, or how we measure up when we compare ourselves to others. The truth is: we have all been created in the very image of our creator God. He chose every single feature of our body - our facial features, our wavy or straight hair, our button shaped nose, the freckles on our face, our knobby knees - you name it, God chose it!
The images we see in the media every single day - in magazines, advertising material, music clips - they are all the result of models and celebrities spending many hours in hair and makeup, as well as the results of digital alterations and enhancements. In other words, we spend the majority of our time comparing ourselves to images of perfection that are, in actual fact, FAKE!
So understand that you cannot be anyone other than who you have been created to be. Be an original - not a copy of someone else.
‘I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.’ Psalm 139:14
Lie #2 ‘I am alone with my feelings of sadness, loneliness or despair
It is a common feeling to have bad days or times when we can feel a bit hopeless or that our life is lacking direction or focus. But the biggest lie we can believe is that we are alone in these feelings-- that no-one else ever feels this way. The truth is, we ALL experience difficult seasons and have tough days or weeks. The problem is, many of us aren’t real and honest about when we are going through a tough time. Social media sure doesn't help as most people only ever reveal their ‘highlights reel’ or best experiences on Facebook.
The truth is, you are never alone! You have people around you who love and care for you, and above all else, you have a loving God who cares for you with unimaginable love and compassion. You can cast your cares upon Him any time; day or night!
‘Cast all your anxieties on Him because He cares for you.’ 1 Peter 5:7 ESV
Lie #3 ‘I’ll never find the perfect guy for me!’
This is one of the most common lies that girls/women often believe. Having a boyfriend or a special guy in your life doesn’t define you and it certainly doesn’t make you more or less worthwhile or acceptable -- at any age!
Yet Hollywood movies would have us believe that romance and love ensures that we are totally loved, valued and happy forever if we find that one true love! If you’ve ever seen the movie ‘Jerry McGuire’ starring Tom Cruise, you may be familiar with a scene when he says to the woman, ‘You complete me!’ The fact is no guy can ever complete you! Other relationships may complement us - but they can never complete us!
My advice? Concentrate on working on learning to love YOU! Concentrate on being the best possible version of yourself (and this can take many years, so don't be in such a rush!!)
The right guy will eventually be attracted to a girl who is confident and happy within herself; who knows her true value in being a daughter of God. A girl who TRULY understands that her inherent value and self-esteem is in God truly radiates beauty.
‘Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.’ Psalm 37:4
Lie #4 ‘I’ve screwed up badly, made the worst mistake - I can never be forgiven and move on.’
This is the ultimate LIE! The truth is, we ALL make mistakes. Anyone can mess up, make poor choices, say the wrong thing or just generally go down a path that is not right for us. The best thing you can do when this happens is talk to God! Own it! Tell God what has happened (even though He already knows), and ask God to give you wisdom and guidance in handling the situation. Even the kindest and smartest people in this world are not perfect. We all make mistakes.
If your mistake involves hurting someone else, try and seek them out and ask for forgiveness. They may not accept your apology but that is ultimately not the point. If you admit your error and take the step to move forward, God still knows that and you can move forward.
God can still use you no matter how badly you think you’ve messed up. It’s true, it may take some time for you to get through this mistake (for example, if you posted something humiliating or inappropriate on social media), but you WILL get through it. Time is also a great healer.
Right now, you might be feeling like this will NEVER EVER get any better, that people might talk about this mistake you've made forever! But the truth of the matter is, it WILL get better and it will be forgotten about. Trust in yourself, precious girl. Forgive yourself, but accept that you are only human. Trust God and move on.
Remember that God is full of grace and forgiveness. He sent His son to die on the cross to pay the ultimate price for our lives. You don’t have to live with your mistakes and sins forever.
‘Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous hand.’ Isaiah 41:10
‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.’ 1 John 1:9
DON’T BELIEVE THE LIES
We are all prone to taking hold of certain beliefs and lies, and applying these to our lives and our own individual circumstances. We need to understand that we are SO much more than these limiting beliefs. God has an incredible plan and purpose for your life and He doesn't want any of us to feel limited by these untruths. Go out and live your best life as God intended for YOU!
‘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 a hope and a future.’ Jeremiah 29:11
