Break Free from the Prison of Pretending - Daily Hope with Rick Warren - April 15, 2022
2022Apr 15
Break Free from the Prison of Pretending By Rick Warren
“I will live in perfect freedom, because I try to obey your teachings.” Psalm 119:45 (GNT)
Pretending to be someone you’re not is exhausting, isn’t it?
Too many people have spent so much of their lives pretending that they don’t remember who they really are anymore. They’ve spent all their energy and effort trying to fake their way through life, thinking it will give them the life they want.
If that’s you, then you’re in a prison of pretending. And you’ve locked yourself in this prison for two main reasons.
First, you’re trying to please people. The Bible tells you how foolish this is: “It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you, but if you trust the LORD, you are safe” (Proverbs 29:25 GNT).
Second, you feel like you need to be perfect to be loved. Since no one is perfect, you’ll never feel truly loved if perfectionism is snaring you. You make up for this by living in a pretend world, where you never make mistakes. Even worse, as you’re hard on yourself, you’re also harsh on others. Everyone ends up in your prison.
Jesus once said of people who pretend to be something they’re not, “You are the ones who make yourselves look right in other people’s sight, but God knows your hearts. For the things that are considered of great value by people are worth nothing in God’s sight” (Luke 16:15 GNT).
What’s the cure for a life of pretending to be something you’re not?
Switch your focus to what God thinks. God is the only one who knows you completely and loves you unconditionally. If you’re doing what God wants, then you’re doing what’s right.
The psalmist says of this kind of focus, “I will live in perfect freedom, because I try to obey your teachings” (Psalm 119:45 GNT).
You don’t need to scroll on your phone to find out who you really are. Social media can’t tell you how much you’re really loved.
Only God can tell you the truth about who you are—and that will set you free.
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Open Your Roadmap to a Healthier Life!
God designed your body to thrive, and he provided everything you need to lead a healthy lifestyle, inside and out.
And we want to help you launch your journey to health with an essential roadmap to success: The Daniel Plan small group study, centered on the five essentials of faith, food, fitness, focus, and friends.
In this six-session DVD plus workbook study, Pastor Rick Warren, along with Dr. Daniel Amen and Dr. Mark Hyman teach you simple ways to incorporate healthy choices into your daily lifestyle.
Sessions include: • Faith: Nurturing Your Soul • Food: Enjoying God’s Abundance • Fitness: Strengthening Your Body • Focus: Renewing Your Mind • Friends: Encouraging Each Other • Living the Lifestyle
This small group study is a vital component of The Daniel Plan, and we’ll send you a copy as thanks for your gift today to help take the hope of Jesus to the world through Daily Hope.,
So request your copy of The Daniel Plan study kit when you give below—and thanks for your support!
*The USA IRS code permits you to deduct the amount of your financial gift to Daily Hope that exceeds the fair market value of materials you received from Daily Hope.
