“And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8:32
My truth is only strong if I maintain it.
Truth. Something we learn about at a young age. We learn the importance of telling it, living it, maintaining it and making it a part of our daily lives. We know we’re supposed to be honest men and women and that by being honest we gain and maintain the trust of others. On the flip side, we don’t learn lying. Think about it. Can you remember the first lie you told? Or the reason you told it? What if I were to tell you the youngest “liar” (for lack of a better word) that I have ever met was a a baby. That’s right, barely had enough words to form any kind of sentence but when I asked “did you do this?” shook their head with authority to deny the act that I had watched them perform. Lying is not learned. Lying is human nature. In our earliest years we figure out that the truth has consequences that lies only see when they are discovered. And yet, honesty is the way to go.
But you already know that. While I spent so much of my formative years learning about the importance of truth it wasn’t until I became an adult that I really discovered and delved into the subjectiveness of the truth. We all see truth and know truth, but our experiences help shape what that is. It’s not so easy as right and wrong anymore. Your truth may be that you were telling a harmless joke, while the recipients truth is offense and hurt feelings at your “cruel” words. You may be delivering bad news in a seemingly respectful way but a difference in culture, language and tradition could make it inappropriate. And then you have the most common: preconceived notions. How many times have you played out a scene in your mind based on who you were planning to talk to so much so that you ignore the actual words that come out and focus solely on who they are coming out of? Have you ever written someone off before they even open their mouth because you just know what they have to say isn’t going to be any good? What happens when that gets flipped on you?
How do you handle being lied on? Or worse… your integrity being called into question? How do you deal with a constant (or sporadic) miss-telling of a story where you get to play the bad guy? It’s hard. Because I know you don’t want anyone thinking things about you that aren’t true. I know you work hard on being the best version of yourself even if that version is flawed and broken. And I wonder if you’ve even considered just not being your best you because what’s the point if they aren’t going to see you for it anyway… I don’t want that for you. I want you to see and know your worth, so let’s get some positive affirmations into you right now.
Affirmation 1: I Am Embracing Integrity. You cannot control what anyone else does or says only how you respond to it. And I want you to remain true to yourself and your truth by keeping your integrity in tact. Why? Because the truth stands on it’s own and doesn’t need shoulders to support it. Stand firm in the truth, and let it be there even when everything else seems to be crashing around you. Eventually, it always (ALWAYS) comes to light.
Affirmation 2: The truth will make you free. That’s what the Bible tells us. God knows all and sees all, and if you can’t trust His ability to change the narrative then I don’t know what you’re doing. Let God’s truth bring all your good fortune and blessings forward. Stop fighting so hard to make people who refuse to see you see you. Just keep living in your integrity and watch it all work out.
Readers, I love y’all. And I’m going to apologize for the lies you’ve had to endure thus far. I’m sorry that your integrity has been called into question more times at once and that living in truth is so hard when people are fighting to make you their antagonist. Keep living well, walking in truth, and loving in truth. I believe in you, and I’m always rooting for you. Keep conquering daily.
EMBRACING EMOTION: THE BLOG 