Lies I Believe Part 4: God Doesn't Like MeSýnishorn

Reflection:

The lie is that you’re not worthy to be loved, that God doesn’t even like you. And behind that lie is the “evidence” that the enemy of your heart holds up as proof. But the truth reveals both the lie and the evidence to be false. Let’s examine another life that resisted the lie with truth.

David was anointed King of Israel as a young man. But he didn’t immediately begin to reign as king. He didn’t wait a few weeks or a few months or even a few years. Scholars believe David wasn’t recognized as king over Israel for at least 15-20 years after Samuel anointed him. That’s a long wait! And it wasn’t a waiting period marked by rest and comfort. It was a daily struggle. King Saul, rejected by God because of his disobedience, was actively pursuing David, trying to kill him.

Imagine being promised something BIG by God, and then having to live a life on the run for almost two decades. Would you be tempted to believe that because life is so hard, then God must not like you, much less love you?

Several of David’s psalms were written during this period. Like Psalm 22, they each reflect the heart of David. He was struggling but he was hanging on to God and His promises with all his strength. He refused to give in to the lie that God had abandoned him. He clung to the truth.

Ask Yourself:

-Has a period of struggle or waiting cause me to doubt God’s goodness or doubt His love and care for me?

-How does David’s song (Psalm 22) give words to both the struggle and the truth?

Pause to Pray:

God, I believe You have not ignored my struggle. You have not turned your back on me. I believe You hear my cries for help.

Take a Next Step:

Write your own prayer song to God. Be honest about how you feel, what you’re thinking. Pour it all out on the page, and then pause, and allow your heart to turn toward God and receive His love and His care. Like David, write the truth that will overcome the lies.