Learning To Let Go of Self-defeating Lies

In review of 1 John 1:8 it says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”

Bottom Line:

Never think you are without sin, if you do, you're only fooling yourself and not accepting the truth.

What this means to me:

If I think that I have not sinned, I’m only fooling myself and refusing to accept the truth.

It’s easy to lie to myself: Thing like, “Its not hurting anyone, or no one would even notice.”

But one lie that is the most dangerous to tell myself is: “It’s not really a problem, or I don’t think I've sinned.” I can tell myself that my finances aren't a problem, a relationship isn't in trouble, and my temper isn't out of control. But in reality they are.

What I’m learning is that lying to myself is one of the biggest ways to mess up my life. Today’s verse reminds me, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8 NIV). Sin causes me to deceive myself, and deception causes me to sin.

Behind every self-defeating act in my life is a lie I've believed, or I've believed one of Enemy’s lies. Scripture reminds me that, “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” (Jeremiah 17:9). I need to recognize that I do have an amazing ability to lie to myself.

So, I need to stop it! I need to stop rationalizing and minimizing my behavior. I need to stop excusing and tolerating it.

I need to stop deceiving myself. Jesus said, “When you know the truth, the truth will set you free.” I can’t be free from what I can’t admit already exists, and I can’t beat the problem if I’m not truthful with myself about it.

Today I will consider what self-destructive behavior exists in my life that I’m pretending aren't there. I’ll also consider what are the lies I believe that keep me from making lasting changes for life.