Aroma of Truth

lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble,

and by this many become defiled

Hebrews 12:15

And do not be conformed to this world,

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,

that you may prove what is that good

and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Romans 12:2

Sanctify them by Your truth.

Your word is truth.

John 17:17

Do you wreak with the stink of lies or do you permeate with the aroma of Truth?

When our internal tape player constantly repeats the same tune, soon, it becomes part of us. It becomes part of our blood, our heart, our minds, and our souls. Basically, we wreak with the sink of lies. For me, a big lie that ingrained my brain and lodged within my soul was this: What I have to say doesn't matter.

In hindsight I can now see how and when that little-bitty lie first started to stink and fester. And when the sore got too big to be contained in my head, the sickness of it spread throughout my body. Soon, it coursed through my veins and infected nearly every aspect of my existence. Some of my symptoms were as follows: I was defensive, argumentative, harsh with my tongue, rude with my heart, and I really did master the art of "making something out of nothing."

I could look at a pair of dirty socks on the floor and wonder why they weren't in the laundry basket. Then I could hunt down the culprit and unfurl a mouthful of words that cut through the air and straight into the heart. Obviously he doesn't care what I think or he would have picked up those dirty socks. Yeah, that is right, he doesn't care. Yeah, he is an uncaring, ungrateful man. How can I get him to change? Ugh, why won't he just listen to me--and change and pick up those socks?!

Oh yes, I was that woman. Actually I was that teenage girl first. I could take almost any instance, misfire the real connection between my unhealed heart and brain, and as a result, smear my stinky lie-wound from myself to those around me. What a mess.

One day, by the grace of God, He laid it upon my heart to dig out the origin of my nasty root of bitterness and resentment. In peeling back layer after layer of the wounds and setting the sores to weep with all my prodding, I found that a whole lot of my "issues" actually stemmed from a couple of times in my life when I really needed to talk and/or tried to talk, but out of a perceived sense of shame in both instances, the other person effectively shut me down, closed me off, and figuratively taped my mouth shut. So what was I to do? I simply let the stink of a lie wreak, fill my nostrils with an unyielding stench, that seeped into my pores, and become part of me. You have nothing important to say-Nobody listens to you-Just be quiet because you don't matter. (See how the lie grew and took on a life of its own over time?)

About one year later, when I laid my heaviest burden down at my Lord's feet, that lie was effectively nailed to the cross too. The impact of meeting Christ at the cross and exchanging my post-abortion traumas for freedom, forgiveness, love, and mercy immediately permeated my soul with His wondrous aroma of Truth. I literally felt the weight of many burdens lift. And I was free from that stinky, festering lie. My relationship with my husband changed that night too. No longer was the weight of my past so heavy that it dragged our relationship into places of ugly stench. I could let go.

Socks were finally just socks.

What about you?

Do you wreak with the stink of lies or do you permeate with the aroma of Truth?

Once God's gracious Truth filled me, cleansed me, healed me, restored me, and renewed me, I was indeed a new woman in Christ. I was finally free to be the woman He intends for me to be. Do you have a yucky ole record repeating ugly lies that stink up the place? Isn't it time to fill not only your nostrils, but your heart and mind with an aroma that wreaks of righteousness and Truth?

Let us humbly pray:

Father God, Your Word says that where two or more are gathered, You are in their midst. Please engulf us in Your Truth and permeate us with Your divine aroma of love this day as we set out to replace lies with Truth. Give us the ability to discover even the little-bitty lies and to be free from their stinking, strangling grip. Lord, heal our minds and renew our hearts with Your Truth. We ask this because we want to become the women You designed us to be and because Your Son died for our sins, all of our sins. Be with each of us this day as we are knit together in love, Your love. In Jesus' name, amen.

* wonderful resource:

"Lies Women Believe and the Truth that Sets them Free"

by Nancy Leigh DeMoss