The belt of truth is the first item on the list of the armor of God (Eph 6:13-14). The list and subsequent armor are not supposed to be only a phrase we pray over ourselves, but instead an invitation to a higher way of life. Girding your loins with truth is a way to do battle, militantly choosing honesty is a form of attack against the forces of darkness. Satan’s work is done in shadow and secret; his work of darkness taints our view of what life should be like and encourages us to shroud our behaviors in mystery.
The choice to gird your loins with truth is to rely on the Holy command to “bear ye one another’s burdens.” For it is God’s will that we both bear and are borne by our fellow believers. It is this interdependency on one another that fulfills the law of Christ. Every part of the body is needful, and in times or areas of weakness, strength is drawn from parts that are healthy to support the need. (1 Corinthians 12:12-14)
It is a gift to be able to be transparent, naked and open before your brethren. Humanity’s sin nature forces each into secrecy, as each tries to cover up the shame that Satan lumps on his head. It is true freedom to put down the weight of a secret that has held you bound. Each secret is like a heavy lashing which both impedes you and slows you from running your race. James 5:16 declares, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.” Sharing openly not just your sins, but your fault lines (areas of your life in which you are commonly shaken) is a God-given recipe for healing to which each of us has the same access.
I wrote the above paragraph and found myself asking, “Aren’t there some situations (and people) in which confession and bare honesty can be harmful?” The Lord reminds me that any reason I can think of not to trust someone is a satanic corruption of God’s original intent. God wants us to be vulnerable and honest in spite of the reasons not to be. God’s promise is that we do not have to self-protect, but that He will watch over us.
Yielding Prayer
Father, I choose your way of honesty and truth and I reject those parts of me that enjoy darkness, scheming to get away with Satan’s plans. I invite you to shine your light on my life today and show me areas in which I need to be honest. I trust you to show me who to be honest with, and I submit my perceptions and choices to you. I know that your truth will set me free. (John 8:32)