I loved Seneca's post this past week - her openness, honesty, and transparency were inspiring.

As I was thinking back over our discussion last Wednesday night and reviewing in my mind what we read regarding lies women believe about themselves, I realized I have not been very open, honest, and transparent with myself. I've been doing the Bible study and thinking this is great stuff but am I making the application to my own life?

Hmmm, if I'm to be honest, the answer is no. Last week was a particularly rough week. And rather than turn to the Truth and let God's design and purpose for my week control my emotions, I let circumstances take control.

As I was preparing for the study last week, one thing that stood out to me was the LIE that we need to learn to love ourselves. This belief is certainly perpetuated in our society.

The TRUTH is, we naturally love ourselves because we (and by we, I mean me) look out for our own feelings, needs, and best interests. We want to be accepted and treated well and we allow ourselves to get hurt easily.

So....rather than focus on perceived injustices to me, I need to learn how to deny self and do what does not come naturally - to truly love God and truly love others even if I might not feel like it.

Another LIE that stood out to me is that "I have my rights." That's certainly another lie very prevalent in our society, especially for women. If you don't stand up for yourself, no one else will. And if any of your rights are violated, you have the right to protest, to be angry, to take action. 
 
I'm not saying we need to be completely passive and victimized, nor is this about denying inalienable rights or a debate on women's rights. But maybe, just maybe, we need (and by we, I mean me) to not let our emotions be controlled by whether or not our rights are being fulfilled.

The TRUTH is successful relationships and healthy cultures are not built on the claiming of rights but on the yielding of rights. I really don't have the right to control my own life, to have things go the way I want them to go, and to be angry, perturbed, and pout when I don't get my own way. The only way to get away from that mentality is to yield all my rights and selfish emotions to the One who ultimately holds all rights.

So....before I get upset in the long line at Walmart, get perturbed when someone cuts in front of me at the grocery store, or whatever situation I feel I'm not being treated fairly, let me focus on God, deny the desire to please myself, and replace that with a stronger desire to imitate my Creator.

Matthew 16:24-26 "....If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?....."

John 15:12  "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."