It happened yesterday. I broke my fast. It was late at night, I had had a bad day, and I just wanted a laugh. So I got on Instagram. I stayed on for maybe 5 minutes, watched a few people's stories, and immediately got off. And wouldn't you know it, I immediately felt terrible. Now, don't get me wrong, I should have felt a little bad. God asked me to give up social media for Him, and I gave in to temptation. So, there should have been a little bit of conviction. But what followed was not just a little bit of conviction that went away. What followed was an onslaught of guilt and shame and condemnation. Way to go, Lauren. You can't even do something for the Lord for 21 days. It's just Instagram. Are you really so immature that you can't stay off for a little while? How are you supposed to do anything big for the Lord if you can't even do this?
This may sound dramatic, but it's pretty much exactly what happened. Now, I did realize how ridiculous it was very quickly and shut it down. But I was still so amazed with how quickly the voice of the enemy was able to invade my thoughts. I know, especially because of books like Crash the Chatterbox and Battlefield of the Mind, that this is a common issue for a wide range of people. I have heard multiple people and books and reading plans say the same thing over the past few months. Bringing things into the light is the only way to beat them. Only when things are in the light can God begin changing them. Satan does his best work in our thoughts. Things that remain only in our heads are still in the dark. They are left there to fester and grow and continue to plague us day after day.
I cannot tell you how freeing it is to finally bring something into the light that has been hidden in the darkness for so long. Whether it is something small, like a negative thought pattern, or something a little bit bigger, like something from your past that you have never shared with anybody, can I give you some friendly advise? Tell somebody! Don't let Satan continue to plague your thoughts with shame.
In her Unashamed reading plan, Christine Caine says it so perfectly. "Sin and its shame were left entombed. Conquered. Vanquished. Paid for. Redeemed by His blood sacrifice. It is finished. The blood of Jesus has heard you. The blood of Jesus has set you free. Jesus was wounded for your healing; He bore your shame so you could live free." (Side note: shame may feel like an extreme word if you are dealing with something like a negative or fearful thought pattern. But Christine Caine also describes shame as the fear of being unworthy. And I promise you that toxic thoughts can 100% make you feel unworthy of God's love or His promises. So don't let that word throw you!)
So bring your thoughts into the light. Let somebody in. And most importantly, let God in. Let Him set you free. I promise it is so worth it. And the freedom that follows is so beautiful!
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