“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8
Perception is reality. What you believe to be true becomes the truth you believe. In essence, your thoughts determine the way you live. And, your thoughts are rooted in a foundation set by your experiences.
What thoughts is your reality rooted in?
For me, much of my reality has been rooted in ideas like: to be liked, I must seek the approval of others, or, if I achieve for God, I will receive His love.
And, here’s where it gets messy – these thoughts have determined much of how I’ve lived. Perform, and you are liked. Check the spiritual boxes, and God will love you. The foundation these thoughts are rooted in are merely ideas that my experiences have formed. They have been how I’ve perceived reality, and this perception is a lie. But, because our thoughts determine our reality, this perception has been the only truth I knew until I knew the Truth.
“ … you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32
I think back to how many times I’ve read that verse in my Bible or heard it preached about from a pulpit. Of course, I know that Jesus is the Truth, and His Truth will set me free. But do I really? And what exactly does He set me free from?
The easy and very accurate answer is that He sets us free from the bondage of sin and the sting of death. But, if we dive deeper into Jesus’ words, we see this is a much broader statement. For us to come to know Truth means, at some point, we didn’t know it. For us to be free from something means we were in bondage at some point to it. So what exactly does He set me free from? Let’s go back to the Garden of Eden for that answer.
“Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1b
Adam and Eve lived in perfect union with God.
The hands of the Maker and Creator of the Universe intricately weaved them together, and God Himself breathed life into their lungs (Genesis 2:7). Their perfect union with God was broken when Eve was tempted and sin entered the world. See, satan never attacked Eve with violence, and he didn’t force her to eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. No, he was more discreet than that. Satan approached Eve with an idea that provoked a thought which caused Eve to doubt who she was in God.
He simply got her to believe a reality to be true, even though it was based on a lie, and humanity has never been the same since. Unsurprisingly, the prince of this world is also known as the father of lies. He’ll feed us just enough truth, twisted with lies, so it becomes our reality.
This. This is what we’re in bondage of. Our thoughts. Our thoughts determine the way we see, interpret, and view the world around us. And, ironically what we often look to as truth is based on a worldly view. A view that has just enough truth but is also intricately woven with lies. In essence, we are formed by the world.
But, by knowing Jesus, we can know Truth – the only absolute Truth. And by knowing this kind of Truth, we are set free from every thought, lie, or misperceived reality that we used to know. The world may form us, but Truth transforms us.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” Romans 12:2
Where do your thoughts fall short of His liberating Truth?
Deep down, do you feel like your value is only found in the work you produce? Do you believe nothing could ever work out in your favor? Do you feel you must sacrifice a part of yourself for people to like you? Or, like me, do you feel like you have to achieve for God, so you don’t get the wrath of God?
The enemy wants you to believe an idea rooted in a lie that provokes a thought that causes you to doubt who you are in God. He wants so badly to skew your reality.
But your reality in Christ is that you are being transformed into His image. The further you seek God, the more you become rooted in His Truths. And, just as in His nature, the lies you used to believe are so delicately revealed. And here’s the beautiful thing about God’s freedom: no amount of achieving on your part will accomplish what is to be fulfilled. The work has already been done. You don’t have to live a life rooted in lies. Through Jesus, you are set free to live rooted in His Truths.
- Brittany