WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I TALKED LIKE A CHILD, I THOUGHT LIKE A CHILD, I REASONED LIKE A CHILD. WHEN I BECAME A MAN, I PUT CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND ME. NOW WE SEE BUT A POOR REFLECTION AS IN A MIRROR; THEN WE SHALL SEE FACE TO FACE. NOW I KNOW IN PART; THEN I SHALL KNOW FULLY, EVEN AS I AM FULLY KNOWN
(1 Corinthians 13:11-12).

For a long time in my life, I carried the belief around in my mind that I did not matter.  When things would go wrong in my life, hopelessness and sadness would enter my heart, causing me to say out-loud, “It does not matter, because I do not matter.”

HE WAS A MURDERER FROM THE BEGINNING, NOT HOLDING TO THE TRUTH, FOR THERE IS NO TRUTH IN HIM. WHEN HE LIES, HE SPEAKS HIS NATIVE LANGUAGE, FOR HE IS A LIAR AND THE FATHER OF LIES
(John 8:44).

One day, I followed the emotion of sadness that accompanied the belief that I did not matter and traced it back to a childhood memory.  I was six years old and awakened one night by loud laughter, coming from the kitchen.  I got out of bed to see what was going on and found my sister talking and laughing loudly with the rest of the family.  I asked her to be quiet so I could sleep, but she ignored me.  Right at that moment, I adopted the false childhood conclusion from the father-of-lies: “I do not matter.” And that interpretation carried over into my adulthood, causing me to think like a child and talk like a child.

WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH
(John 16:13).

Tired of feeling that I do not matter, I finally confronted this painful belief and surrendered it to the Spirit of Truth.  Then, God’s Spirit showed me the Truth: how much my sister loved me…that I was her best friend…that I still am loved by her and am very special to her, even though she is now in Heaven.  From then on, the false childhood conclusion “I do not matter” disappeared from my life.

What childhood conclusion has been causing you to think like a child and talk like a child? Do you still remember the original memory where you adopted this belief from the father-of-lies?

Do you want to stop thinking like a child and start reasoning like an adult? This will only happen when your childhood conclusions change. Therefore, surrender the childhood conclusion that are causing you to think like a child to the Lord Jesus. Then, when you fully know the Truth, you will start to reason like an adult.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I lay my childhood conclusions at Your feet in exchange for Your Truth.