Are you feeling restless today? Dissatisfied? Sometimes, when we’re feeling these unpleasant emotions, we can struggle to identify their source.
What you might not realize is that many of those feelings can come from the false beliefs we hold about the world, ourselves, and those around us. Many of us are believing lies that rob us of contentment and cripple our intimacy with God.
For Mark and I, becoming “lie detectors” in our own lives has been a big part of our healing process—both as individuals and as a married couple. That’s why I’m so glad my guest for this conversation is a champion of truth, and he’s here to help us lean away from lies and toward what’s real.
Gary Thomas says that the key to the truly abundant new life God promises starts with unlearning falsehoods we may not even realize we believe. Gary is a bestselling author and international speaker whose ministry seeks to bring people closer to Christ and to others.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- God’s true purpose for marriage
- Some of the lies that rob us of joy
- The key to having a deep relationship with God and others
- And more!
It was a pleasure to have Gary on the show, as his writing has had such a deep impact on our lives and marriage.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Connect with Gary on his website, Instagram, Facebook, or Substack
- [BOOK] The Life You Were Reborn to Live: Dismantling 12 Lies That Rob Your Intimacy with God
- [BOOK] Sacred Marriage
- As a thank you for listening, get your 3 free eBooks.
My Key Takeaways:
1) Lies distort our image of God and others. We all have “software” in our brains that is created through our experiences, the childhood we had, and how we view the world. The problem is that, while this software may have proved useful in our past, it doesn’t give us an unbiased, accurate view of the world around us. For instance, someone who learned in childhood that they needed to hide their emotions to feel safe may think they need to do the same as an adult, even though that’s not true or healthy. It’s important to take the time to assess what lies have entered our software and replace them with truth.
2) Start from a place of appreciation for being rescued. Gary shared how entitlement can cause us to ask, “Why is this happening to me?” The reality is that, in Scripture, we are promised to walk through troubles. It’s important that we always remember that, in spite of our current circumstances, we are richly blessed to be able to have a relationship with our Heavenly Father. Avoiding an entitlement mentality allows us to see everything good as a gift.
3) Community is the key to contentment and growth. We were created to be in relationships with others. We can see countless examples of how isolation causes unhealthiness. Sin itself is isolating. When we are in relationship with God and a local community, our unhealthy thinking is challenged and we are drawn to the truth. Consider joining a community with your church or within your neighborhood, or finding someone to be your mentor.
About Gary:
Gary Thomas is a bestselling author and speaker whose ministry helps people grow closer to Christ and to one another. He has written many books and is known for his work on marriage, parenting, and spiritual formation. Gary is part of the teaching team at Cherry Hills Community Church in Colorado and also teaches at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon. He enjoys running and has finished 14 marathons, including the Boston Marathon three times. Gary and his wife, Lisa, have been married for 38 years and have three adult children and two grandchildren.
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