Replace Lies with Truth
The last several weeks, I’ve been talking about the different steps of the BUILD method of renewing your mind in God’s Word. If you’d like to watch the overview video of the method, the video is here.
If you would like to download an overview of all the steps, you can do that here.
So far, we’ve covered the following (click the link to go to any of the previous blog posts):
Next is to “lay the true foundation”. We’ve paid attention to where we’re struggling, discovered what lie is at the root of that struggle, and investigated where that lie originated. Now we need to replace that lie with truth from God’s Word.
What does the Bible have to say about that lie? In the past, we’ve needed to use a concordance to find verses on a particular topic. That still works just fine, but so does Google… However you decide to do it, find Scripture that provides the truth to counter the lie that you’ve embraced.
It’s one thing to intellectually know what is true and right and quite another thing to really embrace it and believe it in your heart. It’s not a process that happens overnight. This is where spiritual disciplines, also called spiritual practices, come into play. I prefer the term “spiritual practices” because they are just that - something that we practice. “Spiritual disciplines” sounds intimidating to me - oppressive and legalistic. They aren’t meant to be, but the term can carry that baggage with it.
Whatever you want to call them, what are they?
First, what are they not?
They are not a quick fix, magic pill
They are not oppressive or overly time consuming
They are not only for monks or pastors
So what are they?
They are for everyday Christians.
They are simple spiritual rhythms that help us to ingrain God’s Word and truth into our hearts.
Even though they are ancient in origin, they can easily be applied to modern culture.
Most, if not all, can be observed in Jesus’ life. (So if He needed them, we certainly do!)
Here’s a non-exhaustive list:
Bible reading
Bible study
Bible verse memorization
Bible verse meditation
Silence
Solitude
Prayer
Fasting
Giving
Rest
Thankfulness
If you’d like more information on starting a spiritual discipline, you can read my blog post here.
Many of them you may do already, and many can easily be done together. Silence and solitude frequently go hand in hand. So do prayer and fasting. Usually when we take the time to memorize Bible verses, we’re also meditating on them in the process.
What does all this have to do with replacing the lies in our life with truth?
Everything.
Think about how those lies got there to begin with. They usually weren’t spoken once to you and you embraced it. Usually it became ingrained in your soul over a period of time. It was told to you more than once, or you repeatedly watched it being lived out in someone else. Just as it took time and repetition to get into your heart, it will take time and repetition to replace it with truth.
If you’re struggling with anxiety, for example, and you’ve discovered that it’s rooted in the lie that it’s up to you to make sure that everyone in your sphere of influence is happy, you might spend time memorizing verses about God being in control, or maybe Galatians 6:5, “for each one should carry his own load”. (Because each person is responsible for their own happiness.)
When you feel yourself becoming anxious, you could take a step away from your surroundings, take a deep breath, and pray for a moment in silence and solitude, thanking God that He has everything covered and that you don’t need to be concerned about it. You could start a thankfulness journal that you choose to add to whenever you feel anxious. Find a verse that speaks most directly to what you need to remember and write it on a note card and carry it with you, working on memorizing it throughout your day. Get creative and illustrate the verse or idea. The resources page on my website gives some resources for ways to implement some of the different spiritual disciplines.
What spiritual disciplines or practices do you already have in place in your life? Which one(s) do you think would be helpful for you to start?