Letter from the editor: wearing the belt of truth

I’m presenting at chapel soon so forgive me for double dipping and sharing that talk as my letter this month. 

Anxiety and self-doubt can feel like shadows that never quite leave you. I know this firsthand. For years, I wrestled with overwhelming feelings of inadequacy, constantly battling thoughts that whispered, “You’re not enough. You’ll never measure up. You’re a failure.” It’s exhausting living with those voices in your head, and they can make you feel isolated and defeated. 

I thought I could keep it all together on the outside, but inside, I was crumbling. I would come to school and feel like an absolute rockstar – I’m surrounded by amazing students and teachers who lift me up and make me so excited to teach and learn. However, the second I leave and my mind gets quiet, those thoughts are right back there. I didn’t realize how much I needed to know the truth of the Bible until one night, in the middle of my despair, I cried out to Jesus.

That night is still vivid in my memory. I woke up suddenly, feeling overwhelmed by the weight of my own thoughts. It wasn’t just a restless night - it was a deep ache in my soul that I couldn’t shake. I felt like I couldn’t breathe under the pressure of my own mind, and all I could think to do was pray. But when I tried to pray, I froze. The words wouldn’t come. I didn’t know how to talk to God - at least, not in that moment. I felt like a failure even in prayer. I woke up my husband to pray with me, but I couldn’t get him to truly understand the feelings I was having and how afraid I was. I was so desperate and felt like he had let me down because he didn’t get it, and I had let myself down. I was supposed to be this saved Christian, and here I was unable to pray. 

So, instead of trying to find the perfect words, I turned on worship music. I sat in silence, letting the music speak for me. I stayed on the bathroom floor, with my back pressed to the wall and my hands flat on the cold floor for hours. I listened to the lyrics, and, slowly, my heart began to soften. I didn’t need to have the perfect prayer or the right words - I just needed to be present with God. In that quiet moment, something began to shift inside me. I even said out loud, “Lord, just because I don’t hear you and don’t feel you in this moment, does not mean you aren’t here.” 

That moment marked the beginning of a journey - a journey into understanding the armor of God. I started studying Ephesians 6, specifically the armor of God that Paul describes. And the very first piece of that armor struck me deeply: the belt of truth. At first glance, it may seem like a small or insignificant piece of armor compared to shields or swords. But the more I studied, the more I realized how foundational truth is. The belt holds everything together. Without it, the rest of the armor falls apart. 

I love the history of this. By the time Paul starts talking about the armor of God, he’s using these items as symbols. Ephesians is broken into two true chapters. Chapters 1-3 are full of who you are and what you have. Chapters 4-6 switch to telling us how to use the tools we’ve been given. Eph 5:13 says “but all things become visible when they are exposed by the light.”

The overarching principle present in all of Satan’s attacks toward us is deception. Satan is the master illusionist. An illusion is something that is deceiving by producing a false or misleading impression of reality. Satan can craftily make you think that God does not mean exactly what He says. The minute we have doubts, we sink. But Satan’s suggestions can never stand up against the light of God’s Holy Word.

As an English teacher, I’ve always loved the concept of textual evidence. In literature and writing, we teach students to back up their claims with evidence from the text. It’s not enough to have an opinion - you need proof to support it. That’s what the belt of truth is. It’s the evidence we need to combat the lies we believe about ourselves. It’s not just positive affirmations or wishful thinking - it’s solid, unchanging truth from God’s Word. And that changed everything for me.

One of the most powerful truths I learned during this time was that my feelings are real, but they aren’t always true. A preacher I follow said those words, and they became a lifeline for me. 

“Your feelings are real,” he said. “Your anxiety, your sadness, your fear - all of it is real. But that doesn’t mean it’s true.”

That statement hit me hard. For so long, I had believed every thought that entered my mind. If I felt worthless, I assumed I was worthless. If I felt like a failure, I assumed it was true. But the Bible taught me something different. The Bible taught me to compare my thoughts and feelings against the truth of God’s Word.

The world tells us to follow our hearts, but the Bible reminds us in Jeremiah 17:9 that “the heart is deceitful above all things.” My emotions were real, but they couldn’t always be trusted. Instead of relying on how I felt in the moment, I began to rely on what God said about me. And what He says is far more powerful than any negative thought or feeling.

God’s Word says I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). It says I am loved with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). It says I am chosen, forgiven, and redeemed (Ephesians 1:4-7). These truths became my anchor. When anxiety threatened to pull me under, I clung to them like a lifeline.

Studying the Bible with this perspective changed how I approached my thoughts. I started to ask myself, “Is this feeling or thought backed up by God’s Word?” If the answer was no, I rejected it. When I felt unworthy, I reminded myself that God says I am worthy through Christ. When I felt like a failure, I reminded myself that God’s grace is sufficient, and His power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

It wasn’t an instant fix—it was a process. But it was a process rooted in truth. The more I immersed myself in the Word, the more equipped I became to stand firm against anxiety and self-doubt. I didn’t need to rely on my own strength or my own understanding. I had the unshakable truth of God to guide me.

I’m sharing this because I know so many of us battle with thoughts and feelings that tear us down. We live in a world that’s constantly bombarding us with mixed messages about who we are and what we should believe. But the truth of the Bible stands firm. It’s the ultimate source of wisdom, comfort, and strength.

If you’re struggling, I want to encourage you to start with the belt of truth. Go to the Word of God. Ask yourself, “What does God say about me?” and hold on to that. Your feelings may fluctuate, but God’s truth never will.

Knowing the truth of the Bible isn’t just important - it’s life-changing. It equips us to stand firm in a world that constantly tries to knock us down. It reminds us of our true identity and gives us the confidence to face each day with hope and assurance.

So, let us put on the full armor of God. Let us fasten the belt of truth around our hearts and minds. And let us walk in the confidence of who God says we are.