I often find myself more easily believing lies than the truth. I'm realizing, though, that sometimes what I consider lies are really just distorted truths. And they're equally deadly. I will never be good enough to please God. That's true. But it gets twisted into something negative, when it was really intended to set me free.

The fact that I'll never be good enough to earn His love and grace isn't bad news. It speaks of my value, not of my lack of value. Even though I'm not good enough, He still chooses me, loves me, pursues me, uses me. There is freedom, not condemnation, in that. It speaks of how overwhelmingly unconditional His love for me is.

But the very truth that was intended to set me free gets used by the enemy---and people---to beat me down. It gets distorted and manipulated into something that tells me I need to strive for His love. It makes me feel like I have to work harder, be better, do more.

But the fact remains: I can never be good enough. That means I need to trust Him alone. It takes the pressure off me completely.

It frees me to live not for His approval but from His approval.

And that changes everything.