In a world where moral lines blur and volume often drowns out clarity, even lies can sound like divine direction.
A man once said, “God told me to leave my wife for another woman.”
As his pastor, I asked, “How do you know it was God?”
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He paused. “I guess I’m not sure.”
That pause revealed something deeper — desire drowning out discernment.
And it’s nothing new.
In Eden, the serpent didn’t begin with a lie but with a question: “Did God really say…?” And we’ve been mishearing Him ever since. What if the loudest voices in your life are lying — and you’ve believed them?
The enemy doesn’t always shout. He whispers the same lie until it sounds like your own thought. Culture amplifies confusion, making us more likely to accept what contradicts Scripture.
Many now echo confusion instead of confronting it.
This is a call to reject the noise and rediscover the voice of truth.
The echo chamber of compromise
Barna’s 2025 American Worldview Inventory reports that 67% of Americans — including 56% of Christians — believe that maturity means accepting conflicting moral truths as equally valid.
- 58% say opposing moral views can both be correct.
- 33% say lying is okay if it protects your reputation.
The study also revealed that 90% of Americans hold to Syncretism — a mash-up of incompatible spiritual beliefs. Meanwhile, only 4% of Americans are “Integrated Disciples” — those whose beliefs align with biblical truth. If this is accurate, 96% of Americans today do not hold beliefs that align with objective biblical truth.
Moral decline follows a pattern: justify the lie, normalize it, legalize it, and eventually, criminalize the truth. Where lies are tolerated today, we may be punished for telling the truth tomorrow. We’ve become so used to contradiction that conviction feels offensive. So, we trade discernment for diplomacy — and call it love.
Barna warns: “Accepting all truths as equally valid cannot help but dig a deep foundation of chaos, confusion, and helplessness.”
Clearing the fog, facing the mirror
A pastor once told of a young girl who saw her reflection in a mirror and smashed it. She didn’t like what she saw.
We do the same with Scripture. Disliking what it reveals, we try to break the mirror. But the mirror isn’t the problem — the reflection is.
“The word of God is living and active … discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
What God reveals, He is able to redeem. But we cannot fix what we are unwilling to face. And while truth welcomes scrutiny, lies fear being questioned.
How do you respond when someone disagrees? If we’re honest, most of us get defensive. Disagreement is essential to growth. If you and a friend always agree, one is unnecessary.
Truth doesn’t just confront — it awakens. It stings before it heals — and demands we face what we’ve avoided. Truth is not what works, feels good or earns applause — it’s what aligns with reality. Truth isn’t invented; it’s discovered. And sometimes, honesty costs relationships.
Paul asked, “Have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16). And Proverbs reminds us, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend” (Proverbs 27:6).
To those who hate the truth, truth sounds like hate. Jesus didn’t just speak truth — He is the truth. Speaking the truth today may come at a price, but silence can bankrupt future integrity.
Truth may cost, but silence costs more.
False scripts, familiar voices
After 20 years in pastoral ministry, counseling and coaching, I’ve noticed a pattern: everyone has an inner critic. I ask clients, “Is the voice in your head male or female?” Most name a parent, teacher, coach or someone whose untrue words left a wound. Their inner voice echoes with enough shame for a lifetime.
I call those inner voices RATS: Really Awful ThoughtS.
They gnaw at your confidence and whisper lies like:
“You’ll never be enough.”
“You’re always messing up.”
We wouldn’t tolerate rats in our homes. Why tolerate them in our heads? The inner critic isn’t just insecurity — it’s often a personal echo of cultural lies.
The voice of truth doesn’t accuse — it restores.
Many mistake faulty slogans — “truth is flexible,” “meaning is personal,” “you do you” — as guiding truths. But they’re just polished lies with a marketing budget. We don’t just believe the lies — we get used to them. Over time, shame becomes background noise. We call it “normal.” But normal isn’t true.
Paul taught, “Whatever is true … think on these things” (Philippians 4:8).
System reboot: overwriting the lies
As an ICF-trained executive coach, I compare false beliefs to bad code. One corrupted line can crash a system. Left unchecked, these lies don’t just limit us — they hijack our worship, witness and well-being.
My clients — Christian business owners, surgeons, pastors and educators — wrestle with limiting beliefs. But code can be rewritten, and truth can reprogram it.
Paul urged, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).
Author Michael Hyatt put it this way: “The best way to overcome limiting beliefs is to replace them with liberating truths.”
Take this thought: “I don’t have time to pray.” A liberating truth reframes it: “I have all the time I need to pray — and everything else will be better because of it.”
Even regret can move us forward. Psychologist Janet Landman says it offers instruction, motivation and clarity.
According to the Opportunity Principle (Roese & Summerville), we feel the strongest regret when the opportunity for improvement is greatest.
Regret doesn’t paralyze when it points to what still matters — and what God still wants to redeem.
The comfort of good theology
In the fall of 2024, my mother entered hospice care in our home. A hurricane hit soon after, knocking out power and road access. My wife, daughters and I became her caregivers — administering medicine by flashlight, praying through the night. She passed later that month.
Decades earlier, during college, I had lost my father suddenly. That grief left me questioning God. But this time, I was grounded — anchored by years of ministry and formation in God’s truth. After my mom’s passing, a colleague noticed my peace and said, “Ah … the comfort of good theology.”
That phrase stuck with me. The storm was loud, but God’s voice was louder. Pain was real — His presence was deeper. Good theology doesn’t anesthetize the pain — it gives it purpose.
This world doesn’t get the final word.
As Dr. Norman Geisler said, “This isn’t the best of all possible worlds — but it is the best of all possible ways to the best of all possible worlds.”
The inner critic whispers. Culture echoes. But when the voice of truth takes root, it reshapes everything — from how you think to how you live.
“You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).
What lie have you been rehearsing? What truth will you replace it with today?
You’ve heard the noise. You’ve lived with the numbness.
Now, listen for the truth that speaks louder.
Dr. Stephen Cutchins has over 20 years of leadership experience in education and ministry across four states. He has been actively involved with Southern Evangelical Seminary (SES) for more than 17 years and currently serves as the Executive Director of the Center for Innovative Training, Truth That Matters. In addition to his role at SES, Dr. Cutchins is a Teaching Pastor and Multi-Site Specialist at Upstate Church in South Carolina, recognized by Outreach Magazine as one of the top 10 fastest-growing churches in the nation. Dr. Cutchins has coached leaders nationwide through the North American Mission Board and is a sought-after speaker for churches, conferences, and events across the country. As the founder of The Cutchins Institute, LLC, he leads a team specializing in executive coaching, consulting, and counseling services. An accomplished author, Dr. Cutchins has written and contributed to several books, including works published by Thomas Nelson Publishing.
