Have you ever wondered why you do what you don’t want to do? Or why it’s so hard to do the things that you know are the right things to do?
Our sinful nature causes us to often make the wrong choice. You can probably relate to the Apostle Paul when he says, “For what I am doing, I do not understand, for I do not practice what I will to do, but I do the very thing I hate … So now it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwells no good thing, for the will to do what is right is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find” (Rom. 7:15, 17-18).
Even after you become a believer, there’s a certain tension inside of you. You have the good nature God gave you, but you also have your old sinful nature that is pulling at you.
But there is a way out. Jesus promised in John 8:32, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.”
The secret to personal change is not willpower. It’s not a pill. It’s not a resolution. It’s not some vow you make. The secret to personal change is not something you do or say.
The secret to personal change is something you know. You know the truth. When you change the way you think, it changes the way you feel. And when you change the way you feel, it changes the way you act.
Behind every self-defeating act is a lie you believe. It may be a lie about yourself, your past or future, God or others.
Why do you do something you know is bad for you? Because you think there’s some kind of payoff. That’s the lie. You can only change and fulfill God’s purpose for your life if you start with His truth. If you want to change the way you live, you must begin in your mind. You must know and believe God’s truth.
When you know the truth, the truth will set you free. What you have to do is expose and uncover the lies you’ve been accepting. You picked some of them up as a kid on the playground or from TV. Some of them you picked up from your parents or creatively thought them up yourself. But they are lies, and when you reject them and instead find out what God has to say, you will experience freedom like you’ve never known.
Talk It Over
- What do you think it means to know God’s truth?
- Think of the lies that have been on repeat in your head for years. With which of God’s truths do you need to replace them?
- What will it take for you to know God’s truth better? What changes do you need to make in your life? {eoa}
Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church. His book, The Purpose Driven Church, was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. He is also founder of pastors.com, a global Internet community for pastors.
For the original article, visit pastorrick.com.
