Where do you find unhealthy beliefs? Where do they hide? This website aims to help you discover unhealthy, false beliefs and replace them with the truth to experience a new reality. You will find unhealthy beliefs in many places, such as education, friends, family, bad experiences, what you watch on TV, the internet, or in the movies, and so on. The trick is to recognize unhealthy beliefs and replace them with the truth found in God’s Word. I discover most of my unhealthy beliefs when I become resentful. I discuss the power of resentment and how to resolve it at length in this post: How to Recognize and Eliminate Emotional Cancer.
Rattlesnakes Let You Know When You Are too Close
When I go on a hike, I pray for God’s protection that I would not encounter a rattlesnake, copperhead, or any other wild animal that could hurt me. Though I pray this prayer, and I believe God hears my prayer, but He may not answer my prayer as I expect. I wrote a series of posts on why God may not answer our prayers, found here.
I have hiked close to 300 miles of the MST and have only seen three rattlesnakes and no bears, though I see evidence of a bear being on the path. Psalm 91:14 states, “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name.” On the last four-day hike, we came across two beautiful yellow-phase rattlesnakes on two different days. Yes, I was scared and backed away when I heard the rattles sound off, but I know they will not hurt me unless I mess with them.
Just as rattlesnakes let you know their presence, so resentment lets you know when you have an unhealthy belief. When you don’t have peace and joy, back up and look for bitterness. All bitterness is based on a false belief, which is a lie about yourself, others, or God. When you allow bitterness to bite you, it will cripple your ability to relate lovingly to people. Hebrews 12:15 states, “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.”
Often destructive attitudes that create bitterness come from unmet expectations and disappointment. For example, you expect a thank-you when you give someone something, but they don’t. You resent that and refuse to give that person any more of your time or resources. To learn more, read ALL THOUGHTS ARE WITHIN OUR CONTROL.
Difficulties Throughout Life Create Unhealthy Beliefs
How many times has everything gone perfectly in your life? Have you faced difficulties you did not anticipate? Challenges in life reveal your true character. Are you patient and kind in the midst of hardships? Or are you angry and rude when things don’t go as planned? We all want our life to be peaches and cream, but that is not reality; it is an unhealthy, false belief. The Bible tells us that we are to expect problems. John 16:33 states, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
When we get on a trail, we have no idea what we will face. Sometimes it is very rocky and difficult.
Then there are easy trails that are wide and smooth. The last eight-plus miles of the MST to the Maryland border was the easiest of the 300 miles. We complete the eight miles in less than four hours.
Other times, you can’t see the trail and have to follow the blazes. Once I tripped over a log that was covered by ferns and fell face first. Thankfully, I did not hit my head on a rock. I thanked God for His protection.
Then there were two days of bushwhacking overgrown brambles and thorny vines. It took us six hours to hike six miles. We were bleeding from all the scratches, then I slipped on a sweating rock and fell into a patch of thorny brambles; ouch. The more I struggled to get out of the brambles, the more scratches I got. My strong husband was able to help me up. I saw it as an adventure, but my husband’s attitude was misery.
Often the trials of life will cause you pain and misery. How you view them will determine if you develop a false belief about your difficulties or allow God to perfect your character and root out the lies you believe. James 1:2-4 encourages us to “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4) And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Ask God to show you the false beliefs or unhealthy attitudes you may have concerning a difficulty you went through so you don’t become entangled in resentment or bitterness.
Review of Lessons Learned In Last Blog
In the last blog, I learned that I needed a map to navigate life successfully, and our map is the Bible. When we refer to it often and follow the blazes left by others, we will stay on the path that leads to eternal life. Secondly, look for the surprises along the trail and enjoy them. Thirdly, pray for God’s strength when the tails of life become difficult. Whatever you do, don’t give up and persevere to the end.
RELATED POSTS:
http://Identify and Replace False Beliefs?
Five Steps to Heal Your Heart and Purify Your Soul
Pt. 1: Forsaken? Betrayed? How to Trust Again.
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