Detangling the lie

As soon as the snake saw his chance, he slithered silently up to Eve. "Does God really love you?" the serpent whispered. "If he does, why won't he let you eat the nice, juicy, delicious fruit? Poor you, perhaps God doesn't want you to be happy." The snake's words hissed into her ears and sunk down deep into her heart, like poison. Does God love me? Eve wondered. Suddenly, she didn't know anymore. "Just trust me," the serpent whispered. "You don't need God. One small taste, that's all, and you'll be happier than you could ever dream..." Eve picked the fruit and ate some. Adam ate some, too. And a terrible lie came into the world. It would never leave. It would live on in every human heart, whispering to every one of God's children: "God doesn't love me." (from The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name, by Sally Lloyd-Jones)

THIS is how God looks at us, every moment of every day

It's lies that create the clutter in our hearts, crowding out the Truth. When we're listening to the hissing, relationships crowd out, joy flees, the dark clouds descend to touch our earth. Does God love me? quickly turns to does my husband love me? Do my friends love me? Will my children love me when all is said and done? And suddenly there we are, stranded alone on a desert island of our own making, built with our fears and our tears and a steady inundation of doubt.

God unites. Fear isolates. When Evil sees me in a corner, keeping to myself, wrapped up in the clutter of thoughts, it strikes. Only when I open up that wounded heart and let the words of God and His children wash over the sore places, fill up the empty ones, scrub out the dirt - then I can walk in the light as He is in the light. There, in the light, relationships are still difficult; finding worth in myself is still an almost impossible task; dark clouds still threaten. He says, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him (Ps. 34:8).I'm opening my mouth to let the flavor of His love sparkle over my tastebuds, washing away the bitter of the poison apple of doubt. 

Yes, it's disappointing to fight depression again after so long a hiatus. It's disenchanting to understand that a beast you thought you slayed was only injured and is back to wage war with you again. Yet the very same Truth that rescued my spirit last time will be what rescues me this time. God is always good, He is always loving, He is always there, and He will someday put an end to suffering.

Yes, today might be difficult. But I'm not going to "just get by". I'm going to get up and keep trying. Keep looking for the whispers of His love that rebuild faith and bleed joy and heal hearts.

Where there is desire

There is gonna be a flame

Where there is a flame

Someone's bound to get burned

But just because it burns

Doesn't mean you're gonna die

You've gotta get up and try try try

Funny how the heart can be deceiving

More than just a couple times

Ever worried that it might be ruined

And does it make you wanna cry?

When you're out there doing what you're doing

Are you just getting by?

~Try, P!nk~