Pearl Girls: Guest Blogger ... Charlotte Cole

Monday, September 7, 2009

Guest Blogger ... Charlotte Cole

Overcoming the Lies

One byproduct of my bold and literal personality is that I am extremely honest; as you can imagine that can often be of great value and yet on occasion it can be a detriment.

I have taken a new path, however in recent days, I begun to regularly repeat to myself what feels like an absolute lie. I know in my head it is not a lie, but it certainly feels like one.

While I no doubt speak the truth to others, I have developed a lifestyle of believing lies in my head. This has been the case for the first 40 years of my life, I am sick and tired of it, I am staking new ground. I am going to overcome the negativity in my head even if it what I combat it with, feels like a non truth.

Let me get specific. I hear others say complementary things about the way I look. Inside, my self-image has been so powerfully created with negative self talk, that often what I hear can’t even find a resting place among the lies I have developed belief in all these years.

The way I have seen myself, my whole life, has been so far from what I am beginning to believe the truth to be. I am setting on a new path; I am beginning to change my self-talk even if it means feeling like a liar.

When I get a glimpse in the mirror, no matter what I see, I am making a deliberate effort not to chime in with the same old lies. No matter what the truth is, I am beginning to say to myself, "You are pretty, you are young and healthy. You are thin and you have beautiful vibrant skin. You look great in your bathing suit. You are a good wife and mother. You are capable, you have an incredible future. You are loved and forgiven."

You may be thinking that’s easy for me, but let me assure you, regardless of what actually exists; I have never felt any of those things. (Except the loved and forgiven- I have embraced those thoughts every single day since I met Jesus)

I kid you not, it feels like a lie when I say complementary things to myself, but it is making a difference. The mental is actually affecting the physical. My thoughts alone are so liberating it is like escaping the prison of deception where I have been trapped, for the last 40 years.

Now please don’t think I am totally promoting vanity. What I am doing is simply redirecting negative thoughts. I am not waking up every morning and saying these things as a mantra, but if a negative thought comes to mind I redirect it with a thought that is going to liberate me from Satan’s power over my poor self-esteem.

What about you? What lies do you believe every day, that you need to combat with truth. Maybe you are convinced you are stupid, a bad person, a geek or no one likes you. Maybe you believe you are a bad wife or mother. Perhaps you tell yourself you are broke, a liar, or someone who will never be fulfilled. I am beginning to realize we can really sabotage our lives when we allow this negative energy to fuel our thinking.

Go ahead and give it a try. Start overcoming to lies of the deceiver with the truth, even if it feels like a non-truth. If you simply cannot move from your negative self image, get some counsel or coaching. Ask me, I'll pray for you. Open the Bible let God overcome the lies in your head with the truth of His word. The Psalms are full of His adoration for you.

Psalm 48:9 (New International Version)

⁹ Within your temple, O God,
we meditate on your unfailing love.

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Charlotte is a nonfiction Christian writer who has a heart for affectionately shining light in darkness and encouraging women in the daily challenges of being a wife and mother. She has unbelievable joy and the much-needed faith and light heartedness that is required as she and her husband raise their four sons in Annapolis Maryland. You can join her on the path of encouragement and fresh perspectives on biblical truths at Charlotte's Heart.