Breaking Free from the Lies We Believe
Breaking Free from the Lies We Believe
We all have an inner voice that whispers lies about who we are. Last week, I referred to this voice as the inner critic, a term I encountered in the book Pursuing Perfection. Through years of therapy (and counting), I’ve had deep conversations about the damaging messages my inner critic tells me. These lies can be crippling, trapping me in a cycle of shame and insecurity.
The Vicious Cycle of Self-Doubt
For me, this cycle often begins with four painful words: I am not enough. From there, my thoughts spiral:
I start to believe my past mistakes and sins make me too broken for God to use.
I question whether I can truly be the wife my husband deserves.
I heap on mom guilt, wondering what choices I’ve made that might send my kids to therapy someday.
I land in a wasteland of shame and insecurity—only to begin the cycle all over again.
The Enemy Wants You to Believe Lies
The truth is, the enemy wants us to feel this way. He wants us to feel inadequate, defeated, and unworthy. But God calls us to walk boldly in the truth of who He says we are—who He created us to be.
Many women struggle with these lies (and I imagine men do too), but I can only speak from my own experience. Here are a few falsehoods I’ve wrestled with:
“I am not enough.”
“I have to earn the love and approval of others.”
“I’ll never be as good as [someone else].”
“God can’t use me. I am too broken.”
“My worth is in what I accomplish and what others think of me.”
“My work shapes my identity.”
“No one will love me if they truly know me.”
“I am a failure.”
If even one of these resonates with you, let me be the first to say: This is NOT who God says you are.
Replacing Lies with God’s Truth
Lies gain power in our lives when we believe them. But when we acknowledge and expose them as untrue, they lose their grip, and we regain confidence and freedom in Christ.
So how do we break free? We compare our thoughts to God’s Word. Here’s how this looks for me:
Who Does God Say You Are?
God’s Word, His love, mercy, and grace are unchanging and available to everyone. When we respond to self-doubt with Scripture, we replace lies with truth and refocus our hearts on who we are in Christ.
So, what about you? What lies have you been believing? I challenge you to write down one lie, then turn to Scripture and replace it with God’s truth.
And if you need a reminder, God calls you…
A new creation (2 Cor. 5:17)
Chosen (1 Cor. 3:16)
A friend of God (John 15:15)
Valuable and known (Matthew 10:31; Luke 12:7)
Accepted (Romans 15:7)
Justified by faith (Romans 5:1)
Redeemed (Isaiah 43:1; Col. 1:13-14; Eph. 1:7)
Complete (Col. 2:10)
Beloved (Romans 8:38-39)
ENOUGH (1 Peter 2:9 & Philippians 1:6)
No matter what your inner critic says, God’s truth wins. You are loved, seen, known, and more than enough in Him. Hold onto that truth today.
