Life Cycle of Lies

Know the Truth!

“You shall know the truth and THE TRUTH will set you free”

John 8:32

When our THOUGHTS GO UNCHALLENGED, they lead to FAULTY ASSUMPTIONS that color and distort our view of reality. (DISTORTED VIEW OF REALITY). End up BELIEVING THE LIE. Once those lies get planted in our soul and allowed to GROW in a fertile soil of bitterness, anger, un-forgiveness, ________(YOU fill in the blank), it changes the way we behave. Our ACTIONS – and the consequences of our actions – affect our FUTURE, our destiny, God’s plan for our life. Eventually, we allow those lies to DEFINE OUR CHARACTER, who we are.

Our life is a sum total of the choices we’ve made and their resulting consequences. Our thoughts have power! They tell us who we are and what we will become.

The most damaging of all Lies are those based partially on Truth. We mistakenly believe that if one part of the message is true, the other part must be true too. Therefore, we believe the lie in it’s entirety, “hook, line, and sinker.” The problem is we don’t see the “hook”.

Partial Truth + Lie = Faulty Assumption

Faulty Assumptions:

•You are always late, why can’t you get your act together! (You are out of control.)

•We’ve gone over this a thousand times, why can’t you get it? (You are stupid.)

•You are always so emotional; you’re a mess! (You are needy.)

•You don’t need that cookie, you’ll never lose weight. (You are fat.)

•You’ve really let yourself go. You used to look so pretty. (You are ugly.)

[*Make your own list.]

For example…

My Core Wound / Trauma stems from on “A Lie.” (Someone close to me lied — and I believed them.)  Therefore, it makes sense that my re-occurring triggers center around “Lies” or “People who Lie.”

My Thoughts Go Unchallenged:
I blame myself for “Believing the Lie.” But my blame does not stop there. I blame myself for other things too, like:

• letting the house go unkept
• isolating from friends or family
• being so emotional or tired

Which leads to Faulty Assumptions:
I blamed myself for grieving. But I did not recognize it as grieving so I became angry at myself, instead of allowing myself time to process my hurts.

•  “Something is wrong with me.”
• “Why can’t I get my act together.”

This gives me a Distorted View of Reality:
When someone lies to me, it produces a sense of instability in me. To make sense of my “new reality,” I judge, ridicule or criticize people who lie.

•  “I can’t trust them.”
• “They are not who they say they are.”
• “If they lie in one area, they must lie in all areas.”
• “They meant to do it.”
• “They will never change.”

Therefore, I Believe the Lies:

• “I cannot trust anyone but myself.”
• “If I don’t expect anything good to happen, then I won’t be disappointed when it doesn’t.”

It Changes My Behavior:
I put up walls to protect myself.

• I keep myself at a distance by isolating myself or suppressing my emotions.
• I keep myself so busy that I don’t have time to think about it.

Don’t let the trauma Define Your Character!
This is where we need GOD’S PERSPECTIVE on things.

What is True?
The truth that God wants to reveal to me is . . .?

• IT WASN’T MY FAULT.
• I WAS GRIEVING! (It is normal and ok to grieve for a time.)

What is God Saying to Me now?
Listen for God to speak truth to you in this situation.

• Let me heal you.
• Understand the trauma.
• Give yourself time to grieve.
• Recognize the triggers.
• Expose the lies (… that somehow this is your fault).