The Biggest Lie You Might Believe

Have you ever experienced something unexpected? Faced tragedy? Dealt with unmet desires? Ever disliked your circumstances? The answer to all these questions likely is yes.

You've probably also pondered God's role in these situations. You may be tempted to think that God doesn't care or love you, wouldn’t understand or is to blame. We may not say it, but we can act like it. The biggest lie you can believe? That those thoughts are true.

Trying situations where God's hand may not seem evident are ripe for us to be hoodwinked by the enemy, who wants us to believe negative thoughts about God, distance ourselves from Him and stop trusting Him. In John 8:44, Satan is called the father of lies. In Revelation 12:9, he’s named the great deceiver. In John 10:10, he often is interpreted as the “thief” seeking to kill, steal and destroy, while Jesus says that He came to give us true, abundant life - to the full. While the enemy is out to ruin us, God wants to see us thrive in all circumstances, and, ultimately, into eternity. Yet in those times when we don't see His hand, we're tempted not to believe Him and instead trust the deceiver by going our own way. Here are some questions we can ask ourselves to avoid falling prey to the devil's schemes in tough times.

Who is God to Me?

Trying circumstances are a chance to evaluate whether we see God as He is. We can view Him as Creator of the world who loves us and knows best, or we can see Him as less than He is, perhaps reducing Him to a means of getting what we want, such as health, wealth and companionship. If God is merely the fairy who grants all our wishes, we'll do what He asks only as long as things go our way, and we'll bail on Him when life gets rough. We'll also see ourselves as more in control than we ever can be, not recognizing that we can only see what is in front of us, while He sees all. When we don't recognize God's greatness, we can forget how small we really are.

The story of Job provides a wonderful reminder of God's magnitude. Despite Job ultimately passing tests to his faith in God and devotion to Him that Satan inflicted with God's permission (such as losing his children, wealth and health), there is a point during his suffering where Job ponders the reason for his torment, attempting to explain it from his limited, human perspective. God's response to Job's questioning, in Chapters 38-41, is awe-inspiring. He reminds Job of his limits. A snippet of God’s reply:

4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
6 On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone—
7 while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy?
8 “Who shut up the sea behind doors
when it burst forth from the womb,
9 when I made the clouds its garment
and wrapped it in thick darkness,
10 when I fixed limits for it
and set its doors and bars in place,
11 when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;
here is where your proud waves halt’?
12 “Have you ever given orders to the morning,
or shown the dawn its place, that it might take the earth by the edges
and shake the wicked out of it?

Job responds accordingly, in worship and repentance. Similarly, Ecclesiastes 5:2 gives us a guide for reverencing our Maker even in trying times, when we may be tempted to think we have the answers: “Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few.” (ESV)

When we recognize God's power, we can trust that He’s in control even when we only see chaos.

What's My Diet?

Our habits also impact whether we believe Satan's lies or God’s truths. The Bible tells us that our battles in life are not about the physical that we see, but the spiritual that we cannot see. Second Corinthians 10:3-5 says,

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

There is no better way to “take captive” thoughts that help us choose obedience to Christ than meditating on the promises in His Word. Just a few of the things God says to believers in it are that He works all things together for our good, is for us, nothing can separate us from His love, He will never leave or forsake us, and has great plans for us - including a definitive, final plan to overcome evil. I shared some other promises I like to meditate on most here. If you don’t already, mediate on verses that remind you of who God is and speak to your doubts. God’s Word is truly the hope that we have to overcome the enemy!

Ephesians 6: 10-18 also says that we are to resist the devil’s schemes by being strong in the Lord’s mighty power, putting on the "full armor" of God. The “weapons” from the passage include:

Belt of Truth (v. 14)
Breastplate of Righteousness (v. 14)
Shield of Faith (v. 14)
Footwear of the Readiness of The Gospel (v. 15)
Shield of Faith (v. 16)
Helmet of Salvation (v. 17)
Sword of the Spirit (v. 17)
(See an explanation of each here)

When we put on God's armor, we're no longer dealing with trouble in our own limited way, but through God's power, which makes all the difference!

Who's in My Corner?

Connecting with other believers also is critical in overcoming the enemy's schemes. The book of Hebrews, written to Jewish Christians facing persecution, contains relevant advice on maintaining Christian community. Hebrews 10: 24-25 says,"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

I love how timeless this passage is! Both then and now, there are those of us prone to periodically disappear – check out – from connecting with other believers. Often it’s when life gets challenging and the support is needed most when we may be tempted to bail. Yet we’re to stay in our struggles together. And, as this passage indicates, connecting is not only for our personal benefit, but also so that we can encourage others. Being part of God’s kingdom, our difficulties aren’t just meant to grow us, they’re also supposed to lead us to comfort others. In community, we can’t wallow too deeply into self-pity!

Further, Hebrews 3: 12-15 tells us that we avoid being hardened by sin's deceitfulness – i.e., seeing sin as “no big deal” – by encouraging each other. When we're tempted to stray in our trials, other believers steer us in the right direction. We're not meant to always be alone, and we can't succeed in overcoming challenges by ourselves!

Am I thankful?

Our perspective also is critical. Second Thessalonians 5: 16-18 says, "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." "All" truly means all! When we have a disposition of thankfulness no matter what the circumstance, we are not limited by our trials and recognize what blessings we do have that the enemy would have us forget. As 2 Thessalonians indicates, we also are obedient to God when we remain thankful, and God honors obedience. Psalm 103, a psalm of praise, is one that reminds me to be thankful for all that God has done - and does - every day!

Post Script

Jesus said that in this world, we would have trouble, but we can take heart because He's overcome the world. In trials, learn to trust God by recognizing who He is, putting on His armor, connecting with other believers and overflowing with thankfulness. That way, you won't get hoodwinked by the enemy's lies.