Hello everyone! My public health work will continue through the summer. My prayer is that we are seeing this pandemic wind down. It has been a wild year but oh what a year of healing, restoration, and pruning!
Today I want to talk with you about seed lies and root lies. They are very different and you can’t have one without the other – in fact one requires the other.
What are seed lies and root lies? We’ll start with the foundational lie first, the seed lie. Seed lies are intrusive thoughts or ideas brought on by circumstances, other people, or ourselves that give us a first impression, if you will, of our situation or of ourselves as people. If we believe these lies, we set the foundation for a root lie to take hold. Allow me to give you an example of a real-life seed lie and root lie. I was a smart and sensible young woman in my teen and college years (I still am). I didn’t tolerate foolishness or immaturity from the opposite sex nor other girls/women (I still don’t). As a result of this personality trait God gifted me (that I treasure and won’t apologize for), I was quite intimidating to young men (I still intimidate most men to some extent and that is their issue, not mine). Unfortunately for young me, I internalized their frank immaturity to be a lack of some sort of goodness or character on my part (our societal and Christian norms don’t help this even today). I internalized and believed the lie that I was not good enough, that I had something wrong with me. Hence, the seed lie of my teenage years that would affect me into adulthood for a very long time and yield the rotten fruit of destructive choices.
Seed lies don’t stop with just the planting, they grow. Seed lies grow into root lies. Root lies do exactly what their name says they do; they take root and grow deep in our hearts. When lies take root, they shape our identity and our decisions. The seed lie of “not good enough” became a root that was firmly planted in my heart for over 20 years. This lie shaped my identity and even affected how I saw Jesus. I ran after men to love for the wrong reasons. I dated the wrong men because of this root lie. I married the wrong man because of this root lie. I have found myself in situations that I didn’t need to be in because of this root lie. I have maintained wrong relationships and friendships because of this root lie. I accepted many things and people because I thought that was all I was good for. The “not good enough” root lie had grown so large it permeated every personal decision I made. Now for more bad news about these roots. Roots never have just one root, they branch off into other roots (other lies) and pretty soon you have an ugly, sick thing growing inside of you. I had an ugly, sick, mangled, tangled, mess of a heart all connected to this life sucking root. I was depressed and disheartened and it showed. I could no longer hide behind a smile, Christianese, my career, or a lifestyle. I had to break these patterns in my life. The “not good enough” root had to be killed and removed. Who better to do this than the Master Gardener and Physician, Jesus! Jesus brought new resurrection and a redemption of a different kind into my life! He redeemed me from me.
The Master Gardener is wise and gentle. He knows all things about us. He saw my root lie and he saw how big it had become and you know what? He wasn’t frightened and it didn’t change His love for me. His Word began to cut away at the other roots first – “you aren’t acceptable”, ‘you have to do what you have to do to be liked and please others”, “you couldn’t possibly be lovable” – all of these grew from the first seed and root in my life of “not good enough.” For every hurtful thing He takes away; He replaces that ugly thing with truth, healing, love and hope. When I was ready, he cut the root lie and pulled it up. He then flooded my heart with His truth, love, and healing. He did not leave me empty as these lies did so many times. I can’t say that the cutting and pulling was pleasant, but it was necessary to end a life pattern that was on repeat. The medicine and the pruning the Master Physician and Gardener does in us is not always pleasant or good-tasting, but it is life-giving to our bodies, minds and souls! He works with us and we partner with Him in this healing from seed and root lies. He helps us break destructive patterns. However, He will not heal what you won’t give Him or don’t want Him to. He is not the Gardener or Physician or speaks or acts when uninvited to do so.
What seed and root lies are you holding onto? What healing does the Master Gardener and Physician need to do in your life? What is so precious to you that you would hold onto pain and lies? What redemption and resurrection do you need? Do you need redeemed from yourself and destructive patterns? Jesus is your answer. He knows all about you anyway, both past and present. He will not reject you nor is He ashamed of you. There is nothing and no one that his Love can’t reach! There is no darkness He can’t light up! You are not beyond the grasp of the King! You are not beyond hope!
Today, I give hope to you in Jesus’ name! Today, I speak life to you in Jesus’ name! Rise and be free from the lies that have haunted you for so long. Call on the King and live!
With love, freedom, and tears of joy,
Elizabeth