Negative self–talk can create more than despair it can keep us from seeing our value in Christ. Let’s change our perspectives and rewire our minds with the truth of God’s word. It will change your life!
Overcoming Negative Self-Talk with the Truth of the Gospel
“Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.” Proverbs 4:23 (NCV)
Our bodies have carried us through hard places. They have endured hardships. They have sustained us through pregnancies, births, sicknesses, and so much more.
But they have also enjoyed the many pleasures we have journeyed – nature walks, vacations with family, home improvement projects, and on and on and on.
Yet, when we look in the mirror, we see our sagging skin, the scars on our bodies, and the pain we feel when we have pushed ourselves to our limits.
Seeing our reflection in the mirror seems to enable our minds the permission to spew negative self-talk.
If we could just get rid of …..
If we had more strength in our….
And what if we just stuck to the diet plan we started years ago….
What-if statements upon what-if statements!
Every day, we have the temptation to look at ourselves in the mirror and speak life into our spirits or release the power of death into our hearts. Our words can kill the confidence we all have in Christ.
We are His masterpieces (Ephesians 2:10) and yet when we see the same vision God does; we conclude that further change is needed.
How is it that the creator of the universe finds us to be perfect in His sight and we question His ability by noting our disadvantages as defined by the world today?
We have the power to change
Proverbs 18:21 says, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
When we spend just a few minutes looking in a mirror, scrutinizing our inabilities, and picking apart the less-than-perfect body image, we can welcome in the creator of despair.
Satan wants nothing more but to keep us from acknowledging who we are in Christ.
If we are constantly reporting bad news to our minds, it puts our spirits in a depressing state. Oh, the joy. This consequently brings Satan. His ultimate goal is to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). And here we are just adding more fuel to his fire.
Maybe we can’t run a marathon like many others or look like the 1% of beautiful models, but we can praise our God, who gave us our strong legs, our creative hands, and our inherent worth in Him!
Our outlook on our bodies would stand in accordance with His word. Knowing that He knitted us together (perfectly) on our mother’s wombs (Psalms 139:13-18)
His Word stands true today as it did yesterday.
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.
God doesn’t want us putting ourselves down.
We are in constant communication with ourselves. Speaking to our hearts through our minds. As you are reading this article, you are speaking to yourself.
We can press into our minds more words than we could ever speak out loud. Our brains are computing input all day long.
I often wonder; “How much time have we wasted tearing ourselves down?” Besides thinking, “Were we better off without speaking those words? And after speaking them into existence, “Did it make us feel any better?”
I certainly know the answer to both. As I struggled to see, all the man-made beauty pushed through our society. I came to wonder; “What if we just spent this same amount of time Praising God for the vessels He gave us?”
Proverbs 17:22 says:
A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.”
Though our bodies contain the flaws (that we see and feel), God sees a perfect masterpiece, wonderfully created to do His good works. My sister in Christ, when we feel the tug in our mind to trash talk the beautiful human being we see in the mirror, we must stop and press into God’s word.
He tells us who we are, not the commercials we see on tv, or the pamphlets they may hand us at the day spa. God’s word is filled with truth.
It speaks of who we are, who He is, and His mighty power. When we consistently meditate on His Word, we can use it to change our negative thoughts into positive ones. The power of God is stronger than anything we will understand and know to be true.
And above all else, when we use this weapon to fight back those negative thoughts, they will lose their place.
Today, let’s focus on being good with the gift He gave us… our bodies. The more you speak God’s word over yourself, the more afraid the enemy becomes. Let’s remember to rest on Him, my friend.
Dear Heavenly Father,
We praise you, O’Lord, for your good and perfect timing. Help us to see what you see. Allow us to press upon the promises you have spoken. And to forgive us for not seeing the beauty and gifts you have provided each of us. Stir a desire in our hearts to use our hands and feet for your glorified work.
We ask all of this in your precious name, Jesus!–Amen.
Read More on Jen Schreiner
- Recognizing Our True Enemy: A Call to Focus on Faith
- The Power of Godly Friendships – 5 Key Qualities
- Why Isn’t God Answering My Prayers
- 5 Astonishing Facts About God
- How Do Christians Recognize The Voice of God
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