Why Can’t I Believe What God Says?

November 10, 2014

What can you do if you just can’t believe God isn’t mad at you or that He won’t hurt you? What if you have a little voice inside that keeps telling you how bad He thinks you are?

I have news for you: that voice is lying. It’s paralyzing you with two-faced hypocrisy. With treacherous and destructive falsehoods. That voice may be your own from an abusive past, or it may be the enemy who is the father of lies (John 8:44). Either way, it keeps your heart from hearing the truth.

No way around it–you have to get rid of the lies. Those lies cause a disconnect between the head and the heart. That’s why a person (like me!) can tell you all sorts of true and wonderful things, but you still won’t believe them. The barrier that walls off your heart has to be broken somehow. And only God can break through it.

Now is the time to reach for hope. We talked previously about different ways to build up hope.
You know, I’ve never really gotten into the whole “positive affirmation” thing. I always felt like I was lying to myself when I said things like I am a worthy and wonderful person, or I accomplish great things. You know the sort of statements I mean. Most of them are useless, in my book.

But quoting scripture verses out loud is different. The Bible says that God’s word will not return without having an effect, but it will accomplish the purpose for which it was intended (from Isaiah 55:11). That purpose is to uplift you, His child, and to give you hope.

Here are a few to begin with:

• Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

• 1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

• Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

• Numbers 23:19 God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

• Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

When you repeat these verses, ask God if they are really true.

Then listen for the answer.

This is part 24 of a series on abuse recovery

Part 1| Am I Alone in my Pain?