I AM CLAIMING MY FREEDOM

I am now willing to forgive myself .  .  . for believing that telling the truth can hurt me.

You can have the best intentions in the world, but there are those times when you can be led to believe that telling the truth is not a good thing.  You can tell the truth from a posture of loving care and concern and be accused of creating a problem.  In response, you may be convinced that telling the truth is the worst thing you could do for yourself or anyone else.  This would not be a good thing. There was once a man who told the truth.  He told the truth to help save people from the pain and darkness of ignorance. He told the truth because he knew that the truth would set people free from physical, mental and emotional bondage.  He told the truth because he did not know how not to tell the truth.  People heard what he was saying, and they hung him on a cross.  Conclusion: when you tell the truth, people will be upset with you.  They will be afraid of you.  In fact, if you tell too much truth, too often, people will crucify you! When you tell the truth, it upsets the apple cart! It brings light to darkness. Most important, the truth makes people think.  For people who believe they have it all figured out, thinking is not a good thing!  In fact, they know if they think too hard, they may bump into some truth they have already rejected or are not yet willing to accept.  None of this should be of any concern to you.  If you are attuned enough to embrace light over darkness, then you are powerful enough to handle whatever happens as a result.  Always choose the truth because only the truth will set you and keep you free.  Telling the truth not only affords you internal and external freedom, it keeps you in good company. Until today, you may have avoided the risks associated with telling the truth.  Just for today, forgive yourself for believing that telling the absolute truth, as you know it, could bring you anything other than good. Today I am devoted to claiming my freedom! I am willing to tell the truth! From Until Today!        by Iyanla Vanzant