John 10:10

Liar – You lied to me. You told me they would hate me and I believed you. And, therefore, I perceived what I believed, and I knew they would hate me. My world is what I created it to be. I have to take responsibility.

I behaved according to what I believed, and I pushed them away. You said they’d only hurt me if I let them stay. So I built a wall around me where I could hide. And it left me cold and empty deep inside. Lost in isolation in my self-imposed prison, my fear hurt me worse than anything else could. 

So I just labeled myself “misunderstood”, and I tried to rationalize. And I blamed everyone else that I could find, but it was all in my mind. You lied to me, and I believed you. But I’m not a defenseless child anymore.

I don’t have to sit and take it like before. It might have taken me forever, but I learned of your endeavors to destroy. I discovered your plan. Now I will not be so easily deceived. You can lie to me. I won’t believe you.

Truth – You died for me. You told me that You loved me and I believed You. But I didn’t understand what Your love could do. I thought it meant I’d be good at following the rules, and then You would approve. 

I couldn’t see how life was to be lived. I wouldn’t take the gift You freely give. I wanted to earn it. I thought I could deserve it. But there was never enough good that I could do. My best intentions would always fall through. And I wouldn’t forgive myself for having failed.

So I lowered my expectations. I took whatever life threw at me. Still You loved me, and I believed You. But what good does it do me if it doesn’t make me worthy of Your love?

Teach me how to receive Your mercy today. So I can then in turn give it away. Let me live to be a blessing. Show me how to be dispensing peace and grace.

Only in humility, can Your love flow through me and be lived out sacrificially when I obey. Your love was never about deserving it anyway.

Now I understand the life You’ve given me is to be expressed joyfully. That’s why You died for me. And I simply need only to believe.