As women, our minds can get us to some pretty crazy places. Our world constantly screams lies at us, and we have a tendency to believe them. You are not skinny enough. Pretty enough. Smart Enough. Your clothes aren’t new enough. Your hair isn’t falling just right. Your skin is pale. Your Insta isn’t interesting enough. You are not a good mom. You lose your cool too easily. You are a failure because you couldn’t breastfeed. You are a failure because you let your child sleep with you. You are a failure because you work. You are a failure because you stay at home. You are a failure because you let your kids watch TV and aren’t engaging them enough. Your body isn’t the same after having kids. Your husband doesn’t think you are attractive enough. You. are. not. enough.
Sweet friend, the Enemy wants you to believe these things, and more. I am not sure what lies he is telling you, but I can assure you that at least one of those resonates with you. He makes sure that we hear and see them often throughout the day. He wants you to live defeated. And a lot of the time, we tend to just go along with his plan to tear us down.
But here is a profound truth that my friend Lysa T. spoke into me this morning (via her devotional…but she’s “basically my friend!” hah).
She goes on to ask a question that I have to remind myself often when I find myself stuck in these negative patterns. Have I been actively engaging with the truth lately? Have I been filling my heart and mind with the Word of God and His truths, or wallowing in the stink of self-pity? To be honest, sometimes we just want to feel sorry for ourselves. But we are not called to live defeated and to be honest, sister, it is not what God wants for you.
He wants us to resist the Enemy and fill our minds and hearts with the truth instead. To take every thought captive and replace it with the truth of Christ. The best way to do this? Get in the Word and do it daily! I know, friend. It can be so hard when you have so many demands placed on you to find the time to sit down and study. I have had seasons in my life where I feel like I would go weeks without opening my bible. I promise you, once you start and you feel that nourishment coming into your starved soul, it gets easier. You start to miss the days when you don’t take time for your Father to fill your cup. (The First5 App is an amazing resource that you can download for free!)
Arm yourself with truths that you can repeat when you feel the Enemy’s lies coming in waves. Choose to push back. Don’t let him win. Choose to live loved!