Ok, so I've said a lot here about lies and justification, so now let me talk about recovery. When you analyze the nature of lying as it relates to your own lifestyle, this leads you towards recovery. They say the first step to recovery is admission of the problem. This is often not as easy as it sounds. There have been a lot of lies and you know that full disclosure of those lies would end up hurting people even more. Although it would be more desirable to confront those you have hurt, be open and honest with them about what has occurred and apologize for your carelessness, it's not at all an easy thing to do. Often the lies have been so structured and complex that you can be afraid of what they'll say or do in rebuttal, or - even worse - what they'll say or think about you as a person. And ultimately you worry about how much more it will hurt them if the lies were revealed as what they really were.
The good news here is in order to reach a place of peace, the main things you have to focus on is putting right those flaws in your own nature that create this web of lies, and also put your shortcomings before God and ask for His forgiveness and help in strengthening the nature of your character. I went through this process and it does work. There is something therapeutic about admitting this disease and it strengthens the soul to feel yourself fight against your very nature. It is said that God despises a liar. The first liar in the Universe was Satan, who lied to Eve and spiraled mankind into darkness and despair. If the devil himself is the king of liars and the cause and source of lies, how loved is a liar in the Kingdom of Heaven? I would think not so much. But the admission of these lies before God, asking for forgiveness and moving yourself into a place where there can be real honesty is several large steps in the direction of real peace and happiness in this life.
So yeah, I look holier then thou. I look like some idiot preaching on about the nature of God and forgiveness - a hypocrit that is certainly in no authority to be talking about change and forgiveness. My role here is not as judge and jury, because I don't have the power or authority to wrestle those rights and function from God Himself. He is our judge and although lies are targeted towards individuals or organizations on this earth, they are merely the affected parties and they themselves cannot judge your true worth. That is solely up to God and He alone.
So don't think I'm up on some soapbox going "You're all sinners and destined for hell". God said to "Judge not, lest ye be judged" and this is true enough. If I were here truly saying that you're all liars and destined for hell - a hell of your own making - then sure, that would leave me open for the same judgement. Being judgemental puts you in a position of being judged, and God made it very clear that it wasn't our right or privilege to lay judgement on others "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". My sins may not revolve around lying to people, but I am a sinner, there is no doubt. I could not very well point out the splinter in someone else's eye when there is a log in mine. My only real message here is that lies themselves are more dangerous then anyone ever gives credit to, and removing them from your personality can truly lead to a place of deeper peace - a peace I wish for every one of you.
