OCTOBER 22, 2024

 “Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.” 

― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

JEREMIAH 7-8

Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you. (7:23) 

1 TIMOTHY 2

1I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave himself as a ransom for all people.

JOURNAL 

Today, right now, this moment. God is here with me...he is no longer in the past, he is in the present. That means the deep dark truth of my life is also with me, always present. One of the traits we have as humans is our ability to lie and deceive. We do it all the time and as bad as it is to do it to those we love it is to do it to ourselves. We really can't live two lives though we definitely try to at times. There is the part of ourselves that the world sees and there is the other side we keep hidden. While that is true for every person...those that have a greater difference between their secret self and their public self are playing a dangerous game. 

I've played this game and it's so destructive. It always left me in the heights of anxiety and never really feeling good about myself and my life. One of the great benefits of getting exposed years ago was that all that anxiety went away. Now every time I'm tempted to play the game the pain of those days intercedes and keeps me from the worst in me. 

How amazing that scripture reinforces what is known to be psychologically healthy and good for human beings. Yet it just reinforces that God is God and his truth can never be altered. Just as my past can never be changed...but today, this moment...the possibilities are all there, God is here, he will not leave me. I have nothing to fear!

 9Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.

DEUTERONOMY 7:9