Lies

Today's question from Internet Cafe Devotions is about LIES. Most of us are or have been plagued by lies, some from just being a woman. Lies are destructive and defeating. Lies about priorities, marriage, family, emotions or sin invade our spirits if we let them.

What is a lie that you have believed in the past (or even currently), and why do you think you believed that lie? Find a verse in God’s Word to combat the lie.

This question seems to me to be quite similar to one we had some time ago about lies about women that contradict God's word which I answered on my other blog. This question is more wide ranging though in that it covers lies about anything and specifically asks me to seek out a verse from the Bible that combats this lie and so helps me become more familiar with God's Word.

After some thought I have decided to talk about the lie that is very pervasive in today's society, which is that the only way to be happy is to have the biggest and best in the way of material possessions, or to have as much as possible in order to feel happy. You see it all the time in the more affluent societies as people earn more and more they then feel as though they have to own more and more (or bigger and better); and I am no exception to this as I have things like a nice car, a new laptop, piles of books, more clothes than I need and so the list grows!!

As a child it is easier to think that a pile of goodies on your birthday or for Christmas will make you happy and yes, perhaps you are happier on that particular day than you were a week ago because you have lots of new things to play with. But that feeling doesn't last does it? It is to be hoped that as we grow up we begin to realise that that feeling doesn't last and therefore stop looking for material possessions in order to make us happy.

But that's not true is it? No matter how old we are, we fall into the trap of thinking that owning the best car, the brightest jewelry, the latest iPod, or the fastest laptop will make us happy. As much as I am particularly enjoying my new laptop, I know that it is not making me happy in myself, which is a different kind of happiness. If anything, I am more content because I am answering this question and learning more about myself spiritually and personally.

Indeed, the Bible says that Those who trust in their riches will wither, but the righteous will flourish like green leaves (Proverbs 11:28), which is just what I have been talking about - if you trust your possessions to give you what you need then you are not going to get very far!

Happiness is to be found in other ways as the Bible points out; Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) If you are always thanking God for your blessings and thinking of those blessings how can you be anything but happy as your spirits are lifted! It is hard to be unhappy when you're saying thank you for the cat that curls up next to you, thank you for the sunshine that streams through the window and thank you for everything!

P.S The Internet Cafe Devotions is having a give-away!! I seem to be a bit late in the game to know about this, perhaps the day the give-away was launched was the day that I clicked on the wrong button on Bloglines and cleared my list of posts to read! Anyway, hurry on over to find out more about the give-away as it includes lots of lovely things to help you in your faith journey; like a journal, a bookmark to save your place and a candle to get you in the mood for listening to God!