“There aren’t enough hours in the day.””I can’t do anything right.”
“God could never forgive me for what I did.”
“Other women seem to have it all together. Something must be wrong with me.”
Lies…Lies…Lies. They are all lies.
God gave us the perfect amount of hours for one day. You can do lots of things right. God will always forgive you. Nobody has it ALL together. And…NOTHING is wrong with you.
And that’s the truth. Do you believe it?
I think we as women can so easily believe lies. Lies told to us by Satan….the author of lies. Lies that sound so much like truth that we have no trouble believing them. Lies that change the way we feel about our roles as Christian women. Lies that strip away our confidence and abilities.
Once we are able to recognize Satan’s lies and embrace God’s truth….His truth sets us free!!!
I just started reading a wonderful book by Nancy Leigh DeMoss called Lies Women Believe (and the Truth that Sets Them Free). The author reveals dozens of the lies Satan tells women and teaches us to dispell them with God’s truth. (Read this book!!!)
Here are some of the lies Satan has told me in the past few weeks: “I’m not doing enough for my kids”… “I just can’t keep up with everything I need to do”… “Being a good help-meet to my husband is just SO hard”…
Oh, Satan is just so convincing. He wants me to try to be Superwoman…knowing that I will always fail.
I have to always be on guard to tell the difference between Satan’s lies and God’s truth.
When I start to recognize that I’m believing Satan’s lies about my life…I seriously tell Satan to Shut-Up! and Get Out! (We don’t say shut-up at our house…but I feel they are appropriate words to say to the Deceiver.) I then ask God to fill my heart with truth instead. Ah, it is so freeing. Just recognizing that I’m being lied to is SO FREEING!!!!
I mentioned my recent struggles to a friend of mine who told me, “Oh Laura. I’ve had a Superwoman cape in my closet for years. It just doesn’t fit. Through the years, every time I’ve pulled it out and tried it on…it just doesn’t fit. I’ve stopped trying to wear it.”
Hmm. My Superwoman cape doesn’t fit either. Every time I try to wear it I trip over it and fall on my face. I’d best leave it in the back of my closet. (or burn it!)
And…God’s truth is this: I don’t need to be a Superwoman. I simply need to be His.
How about you? Are you trying to wear an ill-fitting Superwoman cape? Do you find yourself believing lies? Have you read Nancy’s book, Lies Women Believe?
Don’t you just LOVE God’s truth!!?
Ok. What in the world is going on? I had THAT day just yesterday… and couldn’t bring myself to blog about it! (um, it’s not really just the one day) And a very good friend of mine had THAT day today!!! Dadgum devil.
Thanks for the timely encouragement!
I don’t even remember what it was, but I was sitting in church on Sunday and for the first time in a long time I recognized a lie. It never dawns on me that I’m being lied to, instead I wind up completely defeated. I will definitely try to find a copy of that book!
What a great post! I haven’t read that book, but will look for it at the library now.
I just started the Bible study at church by Jennifer Rothschild called “Me, Myself, and Lies: A Thought Closet Makeover” which deals with EXACTLY this thing!
I am becoming much more aware of the lies that I say, and think, about myself, and working on replacing them with truth. It’s not as easy as it sounds!
Thanks for letting me know it’s not just me that’s dealing with this! That’s so comforting!
Great post! I love the Superwoman cape comments. :-)
A few years ago I started changing some phrases around. Instead of saying I don’t have time – I stop and think about whether it was that I was too busy to do “whatever” …. or if I made a choice to not *make* time to do the “whatever”.
If it’s the former, I try to figure out if something should be eliminated to make the time…why was I so busy? 99% of the time it was actually that I chose not to make the time. When it becomes a purposeful choice to control your own time, suddenly you have a lot more time!
This is also about the time I started using another favorite of mine. When folks would try to pressure me into doing something for them that I really didn’t want to do or felt was less important than another activity, I started saying “No, thank you.” At first people who didn’t know me well would push and push and try asking why not, are you sure, etc etc. I actually had to go so far as to tell one woman “I’ve been polite so far and genuinely thanked you for the opportunity – but now you’re invading my privacy and my family time and I don’t want to have to get rude.” (She was stunned, but backed off.) Most other folks are so used to just being ignored when they try to find volunteers for things that they are just thankful to be answered – so a simple, “Thank you for the opportunity, but I’m unable to participate” or “Thank you for inviting me to attend. I can’t be there that day, but I’d love to support your group in XYZ manner. Would that be helpful?” makes their day.
That’s how I take control of both my time and my mind. I figure when all else fails, having down time is better than “no” time. ;-P
Great post, Laura! We would get so much farther if we didn’t let the lies distract us. Thanks for the reminder!
Aside from the Bible that is one of my favorite books…life changing!
It is a wonderful book that every woman should read!
Hope you enjoy it all!!
And the more I thought about it … the more this post was exactly what my day was about. Even better when the lesson for the day comes perfectly timed to my reader.
http://jesuisreconnaissant.blogspot.com/2009/04/unintentional-baking-day.html
I have read that book, in a study with some women from our church a couple years ago. Thanks for reminding me about it. I struggle with some of those same thoughts that drag me down where I can see Satan getting in the way.
That was simply excellent. Very well said. I stopped trying to be superwoman years ago. I found I wasn’t into the red boots! LOL. But seriously, we can try so hard to the point of emotional, mental and physical exhaustion. It’s just not right. God meets me right where I am and helps me through every moment if I simply ask Him and somehow “it” will get done. Maybe not in record time but eventually.
Blessings to you.
That is a wonderful book. We did a women’s sunday school class on that book at my church, and it was so refreshing and I was able to really learn from her insight, as well as the insight of the other women in my class.
Wonderful post—so glad I found you via WFMW, because your blog is just adorable and inspiring.
Hi Laura, I too read the Lies Women Believe Bible study, and I was just amazed at how many lies I was believing! I found alot of freedom in that book, and I still pull it out every once in awhile to keep myself in check!
I really enjoyed Nancy’s insightful book as well. I am slowly trying to let go of many things in my life that are hindering my role as wife and mother.
Laura- This is just what I needed to hear today. I always feel like I need to prove how good I a mother I am to my family. Reading this, you brought back the knowing that God needs to know I am a good mother and none other. Thank you so much for the words I needed right at this moment.
I love that book! I refer to it again and again! She is so straight forward and biblical.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I have had a huge spiritual and emotional struggle the last few days, and I needed this as well. I love your blog and receive much encouragement from it.
Thanks for sharing that! What a wonderful way to look at the super mom cape we all want to wear but know it just doesn’t fit!!!! THANKS!
Great post!! Thanks for the encouragement! I can not even begin to count the number of times I have struggled with this concept!
I just took the time to place a hold on that book from my public library!
Thanks for sharing!
Amen sister!
I would love to read that book. I needed that encouragement…Thanks for sharing.
A perfect post, thanks for sharing Laura.
Thank you so much, Laura. What a good and timely reminder. As a working mom, I struggle with so much–am I spending enough time with my daughter? with my husband? how on earth am I supposed to keep my house up AND love on her and him AND cultivate my relationship with God AND…
I’m reading this book and doing a study with it with about eight single, 30ish gals from church. I would appreciate anyone that feels like praying for us to do so. Thanks!
Years ago, when I brought home my third little boy-
boy #2 was repeatedly caught brushing his teeth by dipping his toothbrush into the toilet
and
boy #1 came to ask me, as I was nursing boy #3, why it tickled when he stuck his finger in the lamp!
I sat and wondered what on earth had I done!?!?
Long about that time, an older ‘mother’ came to me and begin to kind of mentor me. She gave me one of Nancy’s tape series (great blessing!)and she begin telling me that “if you’ve kept 3 kids alive all day, you’ve done a great service for God”! I began to believe her as I watched these 3 boys.
God gave me peace and helped me just to relax, and trust Him. I had 2 more boys and a girl….and I’m thankful to say, none have ever been seriously injured! And God has seen them through and I’m not Superwoman- and I don’t care! lol I love them, I love life…I love life with them. I do my best within my means and trust God for the rest.
They don’t seem to mind that the floors don’t sparkle- but they love it when I sit and talk with them!
Who needs a cape with a crew like this?
Superwoman-ha! They call me MOM!
(a name above all superhero names!) ;-)
What an inspirational post. Thank you for introducing me to this book.
I have had this book on my wishlist at half.com for a few weeks now, convinced that I do not have enough money to purchase it. Truth be told, I do…I’m just afraid of what the book will tell me! Maybe I’m being afraid of being ‘set free’?
Oh, Laura. You brought tears to my eyes. Have you somehow sneaked a peek into the dark recesses of my mind? Because that’s the running dialogue, the background chatter, the soundtrack of my life. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t uttering those negative statements to myself…
…and I’ve never, EVER thought of it like that. Take off my Superwoman cape? Wholly Bejeezus! You might as well ask me to take down my knickers in the supermarket! I don’t think I’m quite ready for that.
Perhaps I should read that book too.
What an awesome post. To easily the enemy’s deceit is mixed in with our thoughts and we sometimes don’t recognize the lies that are coming in.
I love II Cor. 10:5 which tells us to take our thoughts captive for Christ. Also Phil. 4:8 which tells us what to replace those thoughts with.
Yes, God has equipped us with his powerful word which we can use as a two-edged sword against Satan and his minions. They tremble at even His name!
It is an awesome book! In fact I have quotes from it posted next to my computer. And I agree, nowhere in the Bible, nor in the “Lies…Truth” book does it mention wearing that Superwoman cape…except maybe while your son is wearing his Superboy cape and the two of you charge through the house on your trusty steeds while chasing off bad guys! ;-)
“…The woman was uniquely designed and equipped – physiologically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually – by her Creator to be a bearer and nurturer of life. In a multitude of ways, she was endowed with the ability to add life, beauty, richness, fullness, grace, and joy to the family unit. There is no greater measure of her worth or success as a woman than the extent to which she serves as the heart of her home.”
~ Nancy Leigh DeMoss
Thanks for shining a light on this book!
Blessings.
Great post!! Thanks for sharing!
Laura, I to listen to those lies. But not any more. I read a wonderful letter from Laines Letters blog awhile ago. Instead of writing a TO DO list and never getting through it and then feeling awful because she wasn’t accomplishing what she needed to do , she decided instead to make a list each day of the things she did do and it changed her whole attitude to herself. Just a thought!!
Blessings Gail
Thank you for this. I was just writing on this topic a few days ago, and haven’t even posted it yet. A few years ago, a mentor of mine made me aware of the negative influence Satan’s lies can have (and were having) on my life. I’ve found for me the best way to overcome these lies is to start each and every day in the Word. As simple as it sounds, by beginning my day with the Lord, I find that I am strengthened so as not to give Satan a foothold. And you are completely right- what amazing freedom comes in defining these lies as such and instead clinging to the hope we have in Christ!
This truly spoke to my heart, Laura. Thank you so much for posting. I’ve had a lot of struggles in the past almost 2 years stemming from listening to the lies that Satan tells me. Ugh! :( THankfully, I’m looking up to God for help. I’m definitely going to have to check out that book. :D
GREAT post! Made me step back & think–I say ‘there’s not enough hours in the day’ all the time! So am I saying God doesn’t provide what I need each day? That he doesn’t equip me to do what he’s called me to each day?
Thanks for a great reminder!
Oh, thank you SO MUCH for writing this, and linking to it again. I missed it the first time, and I so needed to hear it. Heading to our library’s site to see if I can get a copy of that book…
You are so right. The enemy has it in for us. You are also very right on about Nancy’s book. Read it years ago. It is a must read. And even a must re-read!
So wonderful and uplifting! Thank you!
Can I just say this blog has been a major blessing to my family and I over the last few years. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!!!!!
Nice site! And thanks for the encouraging post Laura. N. DeMoss is indeed an excellent author and speaker.
Just wanted to point out that one of Satan’s biggest lies is that we are all “OK”. I know this is primarily a site for the Christian woman, but others are coming. . .
As Christians we all know that we have had the biggest problem in our lives solved by acknowledging our failures, or short comings, or sin. We know that our loving and forgiving Father will always continually forgive us because we know that His Son paid the price of our sin when He died and rose again. It’s very humbling to have had everything done for us by Him, and in faith trust Him as being that ‘Super’ totally efficient, atonement (payment). Humbling, but what a relief that there will never be the need for a ‘Superwoman’ cape.
Laura- I LOVE hearing your heart! This post and another one this week, “Raw”, have really spoken to me. I have loved your blog for years now. I love it even more as you open up further, and show us pieces of your heart. You are on the right track! Keep going with all your awesome posts, but keep showing us bits of your heart here and there. :) May the Lord bless you as you follow hard after Him!