What's Your Self-Talk Like?
Words have the power to build up or to destroy--we feel this acutely when others speak to us. But have you stopped to listen to what you say to yourself? Are you preaching truth or rehearsing lies? What we say to ourselves has the potential to become what we believe about ourselves. Have you caught yourself saying:
Friend, the enemy is whispering these lies in your ear. None of these are true, and they are certainly not what God thinks about you! These words are tearing you down from the inside, and your behavior will reflect what you believe about yourself.
Where Does This Come From?
Ultimately, of course, the enemy wants to bring you down, and if he can facilitate a negative thought in your head to confuse you, make you doubt, or cause you to second-guess yourself, he will stop at nothing to throw an obstacle in your path. However, if you have ever experienced relational abuse, the enemy had an "agent on the inside" that vocalized these lies to you. Somewhere along the way, you began believing those lies, and life went downhill from there.
For those of us who grew up in an atmosphere where "performance" expectations were high (and judgment if we fell short), we may have internalized the pattern to criticize ourselves. Far from being motivated in a healthy, constructive way, we have weaponized judgment for self-destruction.
Let's Try Something Different
Secular pop psychology will recommend that you say affirmations to yourself to replace negative thinking. Though there are positive effects from this type of cognitive therapy, there's a totally better way--find out what God says about you, and repeat it to yourself!
Reality Check
We are all called to live in reality: we will sin, we will make mistakes, we will drop things, and life will not always go "our way". But our bigger reality is God's story: He created mankind for relationship with Him, He connects us with others in love, and He's building a kingdom (including us!) where we'll live forever with Him.
When you catch yourself criticizing yourself, realize that you don't have to do the enemy's work for him! Instead, pay attention to your thoughts, give yourself grace, and tell yourself the truth instead.
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©2022 Julianne Knapp. First Published 11.1.22
- I'm so clumsy! I always mess things up
- I'm stupid. I should have known differently
- I can't believe I screwed up again!
- I'm never going to learn to get it right!
- What's wrong with me?
- I'm not loveable.
- There's no reason anyone could find me attractive.
- I'm too fat/too skinny.
- I don't deserve any better
Friend, the enemy is whispering these lies in your ear. None of these are true, and they are certainly not what God thinks about you! These words are tearing you down from the inside, and your behavior will reflect what you believe about yourself.
Where Does This Come From?
Ultimately, of course, the enemy wants to bring you down, and if he can facilitate a negative thought in your head to confuse you, make you doubt, or cause you to second-guess yourself, he will stop at nothing to throw an obstacle in your path. However, if you have ever experienced relational abuse, the enemy had an "agent on the inside" that vocalized these lies to you. Somewhere along the way, you began believing those lies, and life went downhill from there.
For those of us who grew up in an atmosphere where "performance" expectations were high (and judgment if we fell short), we may have internalized the pattern to criticize ourselves. Far from being motivated in a healthy, constructive way, we have weaponized judgment for self-destruction.
Let's Try Something Different
Secular pop psychology will recommend that you say affirmations to yourself to replace negative thinking. Though there are positive effects from this type of cognitive therapy, there's a totally better way--find out what God says about you, and repeat it to yourself!
- You are wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14)
- God's love toward you is incomprehensible (Ephesians 3:18-19)
- Jesus values you so much, He died for you (Romans 5:8)
- God freely pardons you for all shortcomings (1 John 1:9)
- God Himself is always with you (Josh. 1:9, Isaiah 43:1-5)
- You have a divine purpose in God's economy (Jer. 29:11)
- God is working on your behalf for your future (Phil. 2:13)
Reality Check
We are all called to live in reality: we will sin, we will make mistakes, we will drop things, and life will not always go "our way". But our bigger reality is God's story: He created mankind for relationship with Him, He connects us with others in love, and He's building a kingdom (including us!) where we'll live forever with Him.
When you catch yourself criticizing yourself, realize that you don't have to do the enemy's work for him! Instead, pay attention to your thoughts, give yourself grace, and tell yourself the truth instead.
Subscribe to free weekly articles in your inbox HERE; your information will never be shared. :-)
©2022 Julianne Knapp. First Published 11.1.22