Lies, lies and lies (III) Lies we tell ourselves

It was a huge eye-opener for me to discover how deeply I had allowed myself to be deceived. I had come through a broken marriage that could best be described as tying two tigers together by the tail, and throwing us into a cage. Being convinced that she was 100% at fault, I had murder in my heart. What is scary to me looking back, is that I am not at all sure that I would not have gone through with it, if I thought I could have gotten away with it. Then, as part of being convicted of sin and righteousness and judgement (John 16:8), the Lord showed me that I was very far from innocent, and I was devastated. When I then read in the Scriptures “The heart is deceitful above all and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9) I came to understand, not for the last time that the Bible knows me, it knows us!

Secular psychology knows this phenomenon of self-deception, and calls it rationalization and denial. The Bible got there first of course, thousands of years ago. And it works like this, we suppress the truth in unrighteousness (Romans 1:18). This was illustrated well for me years ago, by a young woman I was having coffee with. She told me “I don’t think adultery is wrong.” I think she was hitting on me! Her hand did not quite come up quickly enough to hide her “guilty as charged smile” when I looked her in the eye and told her gently “That’s because you want to do it.” I mean, if you want to commit adultery, and you don’t want to think of yourself as a rascal, then you need to suppress the truth that adultery is wrong.

I have gotten into trouble sharing with Christians, my insight into the above Jeremiah reference. This is the case even though when I do so, I am also admitting my guilt. What I am saying is that it is my observation that many, many Christians have no idea how easy it is for them to be deceived. Let me suggest you ask yourself two questions. The first is this “Do you believe like I do, that the Bible is the Word of God?” And if you do, then do you know deep down that your heart is deceitful above all and desperately wicked? Because if you don’t, and you know Jeremiah 17:9 to be true, then you are in fact greatly deceived!

Father, it seems to me that this diagnosis of the state of the unregenerate heart is part of the offence of the cross (Galatians 5:11). There is a secular recovery saying that if we are not in at least five different twelve-step programs, then we are in denial. While I believe this is quite an exaggeration, I have come to believe that we are likely all in denial at some level. And as I said last day, we will not likely be able to live in the reality of the darkness within, without knowing that we are loved and fully accepted by You. We also need to find places Lord where it safe to confess our faults one to another, and to pray for one another. It is only here that we find healing (James 5:16). So I ask You first and foremost this morning Lord, that You take us deeper into the experiential knowledge of Your love and acceptance. And then to help us both create and to find, safe places where we can put this Biblical principle and promise from James into practice, in Jesus Name Amen