The truth & the stories we tell ourselves

First, a side note: AI imagery is wild! LOL. I had several choices and what it came up with was a bit psychedelic but we’ll go with it! Ha ha! Anyways…

Lately, I’ve had a lot of things going on in my mind and heart, and I’ve been narrating various “stories” to myself about a lot of stuff. They never end well, spiritually or emotionally.

Whether it be relationships, spiritual questions, general life struggles, we all tell ourselves a story in our minds. Sometimes those tales happen to be the truth, and sometimes they are a partial truth tortured and construed, and sometimes it’s just a plain falsehood. What do I mean by this? I want to give a few examples.

Our dog Chloe

Last week I had to put my dog down. I’ve never done that before, and I definitely had a hard time with it. A series of thoughts kept coming up after it all happened. It went something like this:

• When we bought Chloe, our little black cocker spaniel, she was mid-life and never had a “normal” home, and we spent a lot of time trying to gain her trust
• She would instinctively submit and pee on the floor when she saw an adult male come into the room.
• I finally gained her trust over the many years and she grew into a wonderful pup that was comfortable around strangers.
• She starting having cancer in November of last year
• I took all of that trust and betrayed her in the end, and killed her.

Now, when you see that, which part of those data points and the myriad of unspoken data points were wrong? None of them… Except that last one. That’s where the story comes in. It was a partial truth, and it was born out of the emotion of loss. The correct version of that story was that she was suffering with a softball size cancer and bleeding all over our house, and we did her a favor. Did I kill her? Well, technically yes. Was it truly set in my heart to betray her? Of course not. I wanted to keep her around forever. It’s important that we tell ourselves the truth and not a story built out of bad emotions. The end result of telling ourselves the wrong story (not the truth) is pointless personal suffering.

Another example, a spiritual one…

I’ve struggled for years thinking about how I don’t always fall in line as a model Christian, and thus probably are not loved by God. “Externally, outwardly, most people would never be able to tell the various struggles I’ve dealt with, and would never suspect me of all people to be like that!” Typically that’s where the story starts, and it ends with me hearing the dreaded phrase “Depart from me you worker of evil” (Matthew 7:21-23) from the Savior that I love. Is that the truth, that God will throw me out of His presence (John 10:28, Romans 8:38-39)? No! So why do I struggle with it so much? The answer is that we’re fighting a spiritual war and the battle in our minds is just one front of that spiritual war. Most people don’t realize that and allow their thoughts to hold them captive. Here’s a couple of things that the Bible says about our mind:

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may approve what the will of God is, that which is good and pleasing and perfect. For through the grace given to me I say to each one among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound thinking, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.

Romans 12:2-3 LSV

My whole mind must be renewed, or “renovated”, or “completely changed for the better”. In other words, God doesn’t want me to think things that are not true, whether I feel like it or not. I must not allow my mind to fail and allow thoughts of abandonment or sorrow to reach my heart. My mind must be the centurion at the gate of my heart and defend it against evil thoughts.

The transformation spoken of in this passage is talking about the idea of “complete transfiguration”, or a “turning into another form”. A metamorphosis. “Be” transformed, the Text says. Do it! BE completely changed by guarding your mind!

As the apostle Paul continues in these verses, there’s a purpose to my personal transformation that doesn’t simple deal with myself, but helps me direct myself outwards to others. Paul says that with that renewal of my mind, I will be able to discern God’s will, presumably for my life, which leads me to serving others. Our enemy uses our minds against us, which will ultimately paralyze and destroy the purpose God put us on the earth. Guard your mind, serve others, and fight the good fight!

In conclusion

The narratives we construct within our minds often shape our perceptions of reality, influencing our emotions and actions. Whether it’s personal struggles, like the loss of a beloved pet, or spiritual battles, such as feeling unworthy of divine love, the stories we tell ourselves can either empower or imprison us. It’s crucial to distinguish between truth and the narratives colored by negative emotions. Just as we guard our physical homes, we must fortify the gates of our minds against the onslaught of falsehoods and negativity. As Romans 12:2-3 exhorts, our minds must undergo a profound transformation, leading us to discern and fulfill God’s will, which invariably involves serving others. By renewing our minds and directing them towards truth and service, we not only thwart the enemy’s schemes but also fulfill our purpose in this world. Let us, therefore, vigilantly guard our minds, embrace transformation, and engage in the noble battle for truth and service.

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