7 Common Lies That Steal Your Joy (and the Biblical Truth to Replace Them)

What a damaging lie. Feelings of worthlessness lead many to self-destructive behaviors, addictions, and sometimes suicide. You’re worth the perfect blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. He died for all so that all would have the chance to live.  

We’re each created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). As His image bearers, we’re precious in His sight. He desires that all would repent and believe.

Once we place our trust in Jesus Christ, God sees us through His righteousness.

Truth: You’re God’s beloved and priceless child (Ephesians 5:1; Colossians 3:12; 1 John 3:2).

6. Life is hopeless.

Hopelessness can fill us when we face what seem like insurmountable problems. A loved one has a terminal disease. Your marriage is dissolved. A child makes devastating choices. Dreams become unreachable, or there’s unrelenting depression.

How do we find hope when it seems like all hope is gone? Merriam-Webster defines hopelessness as “having no expectation of good or success; not susceptible to remedy; or incapable of redemption or improvement.” It’s a word that conveys a dead end; it’s over.

But in God’s kingdom, there’s no “dead end.” There will be eternal glory and joy. Paul, New Testament writer, shared this encouragement: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV). We can have hope when we fix our eyes on Jesus.

There may be a situation where there is no hope of change, but we cling to an eternal hope that never changes. God gave John, Jesus’s closest disciple, this message: “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away’ (Revelation 21:4 NIV).

Truth: In Jesus, we always have hope.

7. It’s too late.

Sometimes we think, “I’m too old,” “I missed my chance,” “I made too many mistakes,” or “one big mistake,” and now we can’t serve God or be fulfilled.

God’s in the business of redemption. Moses made a big mistake, spent forty years in the wilderness, and at age eighty was used by God to lead the nation of Israel out of slavery.

Peter denied Jesus three times. Jesus restored him and used him to help build His church and change the world.

The thief on the cross believed in Jesus’ right before he died, and Jesus said, “…today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43 NIV).

As long as we’re alive and able to think, it’s not too late to choose to believe in and follow Jesus Christ. At any point, we’re free to trust Him, listen to Him, and obey His leading. We can give Him whatever time we have left on this earth. God’s math is not the same as ours. He takes five loaves and two fish and feeds thousands. In the parable of the Workers in the Vineyard, the workers hired at the end of the day receive the same pay as those hired in the morning. God takes whatever we have to give Him and multiplies it for kingdom use.

Truth: Now is the time to follow Jesus.

God doesn’t want His children to be trapped in lies. We can choose to reject Satan’s lies, focus on God’s truth, and live in freedom.

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/ Tim Bieber