The Truth That Sets You Free #RTTBROS #Nightlight
"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." — John 8:32
You know, in my years in ministry, I've sat with a lot of people who were carrying something heavy, something they couldn't quite name. And one of the most common things I've noticed is this: the thoughts that trouble us most are the ones we never let out into the light. They just rattle around in there, getting louder and scarier the longer they stay locked up inside.
Jesus said the truth would make us free, and I believe that with everything in me. But here's something I've learned the hard way, and I'm too soon old and too late smart on this one: sometimes the first step toward truth is just getting the thought out of your head and into the open.
Now, maybe you can't get to a good counselor right now. Counselors are expensive, their schedules are full, and there's still a little bit of stigma that makes some folks reluctant to go. That's okay. You've got options. Grab a journal and write it down. Call a trusted friend and say "I need to talk something through." Or better yet, take it to God in prayer, because He already knows anyway and He's the best listener there is. There's something almost miraculous about what happens when you get a troubling thought out of your head and onto paper, or into words. Psychologists call it "depotentiation." I just call it getting it out in the light where you can look at it. Those dark, swirling thoughts that seemed so overwhelming at two in the morning have a funny way of looking a lot smaller once you can actually see them.
Then, once it's out, run it through a simple filter. Ask yourself three things. Is this thought distorted, am I only seeing part of the picture? Is it a deletion, am I leaving out important information that might change how I feel? Or is it a generalization, am I saying "always" or "never" when the truth is somewhere in the middle? Those three questions will catch a lot of the thoughts that are working against you.
And here's the last thing, and this might be the most important: we don't always have all the information we need about a situation. So what do we do? We tell ourselves a story. And too often, we tell ourselves the worst possible story. We assume the person who didn't text back is angry with us. We assume the look on someone's face meant they don't like us. We assume the worst because we're filling in the blanks with our fears instead of with grace.
But here's the thing. You can choose to tell yourself a different story, one that gives the other person the benefit of the doubt. Truth be told, you have no idea why they did what they did. Neither do I. So why not assume something charitable? Why not tell yourself a story that serves you instead of one that tears you down?
That's not denial. That's wisdom. And it's grace, the same grace God extends to us every single day.
Let's pray. Father, help us drag our troubled thoughts into the light of Your truth. Give us trusted friends, open journals, and ears to hear You when we pray. Help us to stop telling ourselves the worst story and start extending to others the same grace You so freely give to us. In Jesus' name, Amen.
#MentalHealth #ChristianLiving #Truth #Faith #DailyDevotion #SpiritualGrowth #Counseling #HopeAndHealing #RTTBROS #Nightlight
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