preferred liesHave you ever believed a lie and then directed your life toward that lie?

One of the reasons we deal with authenticity at GateWay of Hope is because knowing the truth helps us become who God created us to be.

But if we center our lives around the topic of the lies we believe, then we can’t be authentic and we can’t move toward being our true and incredible selves.

What are some of the lies women believe?

Lie # 1:  God Doesn’t Really Love Me Because I’m Not Good Enough.

In the hallways of GateWay, women often hear this phrase, “You ARE enough.”

God has never said, “I only love the people who are good enough, those who do lots of good things, women who exhaust themselves with good activities, people who have all the right attitudes, etc.”

God IS love, so wherever he is – which is everywhere because he is omnipresent – that is where love exists. His love for us never depends on how good we are or how many good things we do.

He just plain old loves us. Period.

You want proof? Jesus told the thief on the cross that because he believed, he would go to paradise that very day. The thief didn’t have a chance to do anything good – in fact, he was being crucified because he was a thief.

He simply believed in who Jesus is and accepted God’s love for him.

We can try to accomplish many things, be as perfect as possible, follow every commandment and spend our lives being as good as possible. God will not love us any more than he does right now.

We don’t have to be good enough for God. He loves us more deeply and more sincerely than any other being ever created. His love is eternal, pure, kind and perfect for each of us.

Lie # 2:  Physical Beauty is More Important Than Inner Beauty

Although our brains tell us this isn’t true, our actions don’t always follow the truth.

We look at magazines and see models who have no wrinkles, no gray hair, no sagging skin, et cetera, and we suddenly feel old and decrepit.

We compare ourselves to air-brushed models and photo-shopped pictures. We believe the lie.

The truth is that we are holistic beings – body, mind and spirit. Our physical selves represent only one piece of the puzzle and aging is part of life. Actually, some of the most glowing and beautiful women on the planet are elderly, and their wisdom and spirit continue to inspire us.

Having a healthy mind and spirit will allow us to be our true selves, authentic in every way.

Sure, we want to be physically healthy. That’s why we exercise, watch our nutrition and schedule annual exams. But that piece of us is merely the outer shell.

As we continue to learn new things, to concentrate on our passions and our souls, to operate from our core values – we develop the inner beauty that outlasts and outshines our skin.

Who we really are – our personalities, our core values, our hopes and dreams – that is the true woman inside. And that is the truly beautiful part of us no one can touch.

Lie # 3:  It’s All My Fault

Some of us were told this lie as children. When we didn’t take care of younger siblings, when our first attempts at cooking burned the supper, when we couldn’t finish our homework on time or any number of other scenarios. We’ve believed the lie for a long time.

As mothers, we often false-guilt ourselves when our children make poor choices. Or when our husbands choose a younger and different model because of their own lack of strength and integrity.

We blame ourselves and shame ourselves into thinking it’s all our fault.

This lie actually began in the Garden of Eden. After Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, Adam tried to shame Eve. He told God, “This woman you gave me – she gave me the fruit and I ate it.” He blamed her for his own rebellion against God.

Women have been believing that lie and shaming themselves ever since.

The truth is that other people make wrong choices, and we can’t fix the negative consequences. We are not responsible for how other people think or the choices other people make.

We can train our children, but we can’t make good choices for them. It’s not our fault when they choose a negative direction.

We can love our husbands, but we can’t ensure they will be faithful. It’s not our fault that we’re not beautiful enough, skinny enough or enticing enough to keep them faithful.

We can work hard, but we’re not responsible for the choices of other people in the workplace. It’s not our fault when something goes wrong that we could not have prevented.

We don’t have to live from the shame and blame others try to put on us, and we don’t have to believe this lie. It’s NOT our fault.

Check out the book by Nancy Leigh DeMoss, “The Lies Women Believe.”

Think about some of the lies you may be carrying around.

Then fight those lies with the truth and march toward being the incredible woman you are.

©2016 GateWay of Hope – Hope, Healing and Wholeness for Women