Rationalizing - A Common Sin

“Withhold not Your tender mercy from me. O Lord, let Your loving-kindness and Your truth continually preserve!” (Psalm 40:11) The truth is an absolute. There are no shades or partial truth. There is not such a thing as a “white lie.” A lie is false and the opposite of truth. Our courts make us lay our hand on the Bible and swear that we are going “to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.” Just as the courts of our land will not accept partial truth, neither does God. Webster defines the word, “rationalizing” to mean, “To attribute one’s actions to rational and creditable motives without analysis of true, unconscious motives, - to provide plausible but untrue reasons for conduct.” There, rationalizing is sin because it is not telling the truth, and is an excuse that may not contain any truth of our real motives for our actions. To continue to rationalize is not being truthful with others or our self. To rationalize is like falling into a pit that will eventually become our prison from which we can’t escape and we really don’t want to. We would rather stay in the pit than face the pain of truth and reality. The pit becomes deceitfully comfortable. It is a hiding place from those who know the truth and might confront or expose our sham. The one who lives in the pit of rationalization lives in fear – fearful to be accountable for his/her actions – fearful of the opinions of others, fearful of being wrong. The one who lives in this pit is a person of low self-esteem. Guilt, whether real or self and/or others imposed, is usually the culprit which lives with him in the pit, constantly whispering that he must remain covered and in the dark lest others know the truth and disapprove. The pit causes him to become a hypocrite, pretending to be someone he is not – hiding the true motives of his conduct. The pit started just as a small indentation of “excuse.” The more excuses were given the deeper the pit became. The habit of excusing becomes a sharp and very large shovel that quickly digs a deep, but comfortable pit. Hopefully there will come a time when we desire to escape this prison. It is only through the knowledge and acceptance of God’s love for and acceptance of us can we have the courage to climb on the back of our companions in the pit with us, fear and low self-esteem, and climb out into the light. There we have the courage to speak the truth, take responsibility for our conduct, breath in the fresh air of freedom and walk in the sunshine of God’s love and forgiveness for choosing to live in the pit of rationalization. Love cast out fear. To love is to have the freedom to think, speak and act the truth. Prayer: Father, help us to take off our masks, to live in the freedom of Your love, to speak the truth even when we may have to suffer difficult consequences. We choose not to live in the pit of rationalization. Thank You because Your truth sets us free to be all You want us to be. We pray this in Jesus’ Name, Amen!