Sometimes I find that I am not living at the address printed on my checks, but rather I’m living in the Land O’Denial. Lots of things can take me there if I allow them to.

I had to laugh at a long time friend who recently posted on her Facebook wall that she needed a new dryer. Hers was apparently shrinking all her jeans. I invited her to join me in the
Land O’Denial.

And why not? It’s a great place to be. I like it there. Problems don’t exist in the
Land O’Denial. Issues that must be dealt with elsewhere can go on without limit there.

Happiness abounds. Stress levels are manageable because we just ignore those pesky problems that bring us down. See that extra ten pounds on the scale? Well in the Land O’Denial we can just explain that away. I’m just retaining water this week. Or like my friend, it must be the dryer.

If it’s that last ten pounds that has sent you to the Denial, then you are probably okay to visit there for a while. No real harm done. Its when we hang out there to avoid some real serious problems that need our attention that it can do some damage. We get real good at pretending or rationalizing away our issues.

Like that bad relationship, for instance. It’s just easier to ignore the problems that keep popping up with that person than deal with them. It’s less stressful to pretend that everything is fine.

Or what about that nagging pain? We’ll go to the doctor sometime. It’s not bad enough yet to really be an issue. We all have to deal with a little pain sometimes, right?

Feeling a little blue? You’re not dealing with real depression. Everyone feels the blues from time to time, don’t they?

It’s okay to keep using that charge card. Things are a little tight right now. Hey everyone’s in debt now, aren’t they? Besides, I’m worth it. I deserve to have those things. I need them.

The Land O’Denial seems like such a great place. A happy place. But the truth is, it’s a dangerous place to hang out for very long. The greatest thing- after salvation- that a relationship with Christ can bring a person is Truth. Jesus offers us the opportunity to walk in truth. He is the light and in him there is no dark place.

The Land O’Denial has lots of dark places to hide our issues. Jesus wants to come into our lives and shine a light in all of those dark places. He’s not interested in exposing us, but in exposing those areas where he can help us become all we need to be in Him. He knows there are areas we cannot face alone. That’s why we head to the Denial in the first place.

But a relationship with Jesus means we never have to face an issue alone again. Ever.

Are you taking frequent trips to Denial? Do you find yourself hanging out there often rather than dealing with the hard things of life? Saying “YES!” to Jesus gets us so much more than fire insurance for eternity…which is great and all, but a relationship with Christ also means we are never left alone to deal with our issues. We no longer have to be held hostage by them in denial.

Living a life outside the Land O’Denial can be challenging. I mean you have to deal with things, but that’s what life is all about. Dealing with the challenging things of life in the light and truth of the Gospel beats running to Denial every time. Denial says, “Ignore it, and it will go away.” Truth says, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”