By
Dana Rausch
/ July 18, 2013
I have wasted years of my life believing I wasn’t good enough, I would never measure up, or God couldn’t love me. Because I didn’t get rid of the lies but allowed them to fester in my mind they became believable.Quit believing lies and expose them for what they are: untruth!
Years ago our church staff played a joke on someone. She was petrified of earthquakes, so being the loving and supporting friends we were, we took it upon ourselves to help her with that fear. NOT!
At the time she was on staff of the school. Several days of meetings took place each August prior to the new school year. They would cover topics of curriculum, schedules, playground rules, and safety issues. Because we knew this person would already be primed with fear on the day they discussed earthquake preparedness the church staff seized the moment.While the teachers broke for lunch to meet at a certain restaurant several church staff went into action. Watches were synchronized and at the appropriate time everyone took their places. One was hidden in the closet of the classroom before the teachers returned; one was positioned outside each of the three doors, one at the window, and two on the outside walls where no one could see them. The majority of the school staff was notified of the prank and at 1:13 the man-made earthquake began rolling in.
We simultaneously started tapping lightly – growing in momentum. One of the teachers in the meeting yelled earthquake! And the church staff all began pounding at our designated area.
True to form the intended target fell to the floor burrowing under a desk and hugging the table leg. Unintentionally we neglected to warn another teacher about the prank so she just followed her friend and went right under the table behind her.
Of course when other teachers were rolling on the ground in hilarity and the church staff came running in laughing hysterically, the target knew she had been had.
Deception had played a trick and she had believed a lie.Just like me.
· I believed what others had said.
· I misconstrued another’s actions.
· I became defensive.
Just like her…. I fell to the ground and grasped for security wherever I could find it.
Just like her… I brought others down with me.
Just like her… I reacted out of my fear.
But I am not anymore! For I am believing the truth while I expose the lies.
The truth is:
Jeremiah 31:3: “I have loved you, Dana, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.”
Zephaniah 3:17: “For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”
Lies seem trivial when they get exposed……..