When Lies Cripple Your Mind: Dealing with Self-Image

"I will never be good enough." "I am not loved." "I am not equipped."

Have you ever believed these thoughts? I will be the first to say that I have more often than I would like to admit. I still fall for these thoughts at times. My mind has been crippled by these thoughts. I have allowed these thoughts to distract me from Jesus and the truth of His gospel. I have allowed these thoughts to wreak havoc in my relationships. When our minds are not fixated on Jesus, our minds can become a dangerous place. When we begin to believe the lies of the enemy that say "You are not loved" or "You are alone and no one understands you," we will inevitably live in a way that shows we do not believe in the greatness of an all-loving and all-powerful God.

How we react to the situations that we face in life finds its origins in our thoughts. When I begin to set my affection or place my delight in other things besides Christ, I will eventually live in anxious turmoil. Because Christ is the only one who can truly satisfy my soul and provide for all my needs. If I'm not allowing my mind to be fixated on the truths of the gospel, I will be unstable when I receive bad news or face challenging circumstances. When I am not resting in the Lord'sLord's presence, it will become evident through my anxious behavior. The people who are closest to me will be the first to attest to this. When I am not putting Christ first in my heart, it will negatively affect my perception of my identity in Christ and how I should act in my relationships.

Overcoming The Mind

So, I would like to ask you a couple of tough questions: Are you more fixated on / concerned about your present circumstances than Jesus? Are you allowing the events in your life to distract you from Jesus?

Those of us who have a relationship with Him should be reminded; God has blessed us in Christ with spiritual blessings in the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3). In love, God has predestined us for adoption as a son or daughter through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:5). In Christ, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of His grace (Ephesians 1:7). When God looks at us, He chooses to see us through the saving blood of His son Jesus and not through our sin. God has sealed us with His Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13). He is with us in every moment we face. We have eternal hope in Him. He has promised to give us an inheritance with Him in heaven that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading (1 Peter 1:4). The troubles that we are currently facing will not last forever. Our momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory that is beyond all comparison (2 Corinthians 4:17)!

When I begin to set my affection or place my delight in other things besides Christ, I will eventually live in anxious turmoil.

When our minds begin to go through a downward spiral of unhealthy and consuming thoughts, we have the choice to redirect our thought patterns and to stop playing the victim card. We have the option to fix our eyes on Jesus and lay our burdens at His feet. We have the choice to take every thought captive to obey Christ. Choose to rest in Jesus – the Prince of Peace and source of all comfort.

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace."

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