I CAN'T Believe, I DON'T Believe

Did you ever know something was true, but you chose not to believe it? Or you knew in your heart it was true, but your head couldn’t accept it?

Scenario #1

It’s too good to be true! You won the lottery, the big check has your name on it, the news people are camped out on your lawn, but your brain is not able to accept the new reality that YOU ARE SUDDENLY A MILLIONAIRE!

You keep shaking your head and saying, “I can’t believe it! I can’t believe it!”

So, that may have never happened to you, but you get what I’m saying. Your psyche has a choke point, and needs some time and space for reality to sink in. 

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Scenario #2

Everyone around you knows. The evidence is unmistakable. Your spouse is cheating on you with his coworker. But you choose to deny reality because to accept it is harder. A good friend lovingly confronts you but you shake your head and say, "I don't believe it, I won't believe it." You choose to remain an unbeliever.

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The reality of the gospel is a prime example of something good that is rejected. “I can’t believe that Jesus would die for ME.”  “I can’t believe God loves me so much that He could forgive (or heal, or bless) ME.” 

God will try to win you over to his way of thinking with great patience, but sometimes you have a reason to persist in unbelief. Something more than just having to get your head around it. There is something in you that is too difficult to let go of. It keeps you from responding to God's loving prods.

That is a dangerous place to be.

The children of Israel were not able to enter into the land of blessing because of their unbelief. 

It was not just too good to be true that kept them from going in. It was a generation that had grown up with a slave mindset, that was more comfortable going back to Egypt than staking a claim for their freedom.

We see how difficult it has been for generations of African Americans to adjust to being a free people. At first, their emancipation was for most, a “can’t believe it!” 

Next, there were many that embraced the reality of equal opportunity being afforded them.

But there were others that turned to “won’t believe it” for whatever reason. No doubt, there were still seemingly insurmountable obstacles. But for some, freedom carried much responsibility and it was easier to remain on the plantation. 

In some cases, their unbelief became embedded for generations.

God says of unbelievers, “They shall never enter my rest!” Hebrews 4:1-3

Jack Nicholson’s character in the climactic courtroom scene in the movie “A Few Good Men” barks through the eons a statement that is true for most if not all of us at one time or another--”You want the truth? You can’t handle the truth!”

What he meant was you really DON'T WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH! 

The word of God teaches that there is a generation who persists in unbelief and so God actually sends a spirit of delusion SO THAT THEY WILL BELIEVE A LIE! (2 Thessalonians 2:11)

This is also true of individuals who keep hardening their hearts and who do not accept reality (Romans 1:28).

The truth is, THE TRUTH HURTS sometimes. But God says that He will comfort and encourage us when the truth is devastating. He will empower us to overcome obstacles!

Ultimately, the beautiful words of Christ reassure us. "...For if you embrace the truth, it will release true freedom into your lives.”

John 8:32 TPT

Pray now: "God help me to LOVE the truth enough to EMBRACE the truth so that I might find FREEDOM in the truth no matter how difficult it might be! AMEN!"