Our experience in addiction has taught us that it’s easier and more convenient to lie rather than tell the truth. We’ve rationalized our way around telling the truth to avoid feeling shame about things done to us or things done by us. We’ve told lies to avoid taking responsibility for hurting others and also lied to ourselves to escape dealing with past painful events which hurt us.
We all know we’ve been dishonest but are we currently admitting to ourselves the truth about why we lied? Some of our core beliefs are actually false but we have used them to prop us up in our sin and addiction. These core beliefs have to be discovered, exposed, and replaced with truth. To honestly make a searching and fearless moral inventory we need to acknowledge the underlying lies of our beliefs. To leave them untouched will impact our daily living in recovery and return us over and over again to relapse.
Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31b-32 NIV)
For those of us who have cycled in and out of recovery, it’s almost certain we have been living under the power of buried lies and are in need of God’s help to know and live in truth in the deepest places of our being.
The godly are directed by honesty; the wicked fall beneath their load of sin. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. (Proverbs 11:5, John 16:13 NLT)
Truth and sanity go hand in hand. We need to start exposing the lies that have undergirded our life in addiction. The more honest we are with God, with ourselves, and with others, the better life will be for us. Also, the more honest we are about receiving and implementing advice from sponsors and other trusted Godly people, the smoother our recovery will be.
Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. (Psalm 25:4-5 NLT)
©2015 Partners in Hope
More information on this and other related topics @ www.partnersinhope.ca/resources
Audio for Honestly Speaking (3)
Recent Meditations
Giving Hope
Partners in Hope is supported wholly by our friends and community. We are thankful to everyone who partners with us to help bring hope to the discouraged, hurting, and hopeless.