Just a Thought: If you talk to yourself beware, you’re listening! I used to think, “Don’t talk to yourself, people will think you’re crazy.” But then I got older and I hope a little wiser and I have come to realize the danger is not in talking to myself. Everyone does that. The real danger is in what I am telling myself because I appear to be really listening! I jokingly said, “if you talk to yourself.” But, believe me, you do and you’re listening too. And the danger as I said is in what you are saying. When you call yourself stupid, clumsy, untalented, no good for anything, crazy. You’re listening to that stuff and you’re taking much of it to heart especially if you’re saying it a lot. We can convince ourselves of many things. And so, just like we need to watch what we are saying to others, we need to be careful about what we are saying to ourselves as well. One of the things we tell ourselves is “No one cares.” And we can do a really good job of convincing ourselves of this too. But I have also found that much of what I tell myself is not true. I’m not bragging, but I’m not stupid. I may have an occasional difficulty figuring out something. But that doesn’t mean I am stupid and stupid all the time. However, if that’s what I tell myself and I believe it, soon that becomes my default to every difficult thing that challenges me. I may be untalented in some areas. I cannot play the piano for example. But I could take lessons if I really wanted to play. And there are some things I can do well. I am not really good for “nothing.” I am made in the image of God and gifted by the Holy Spirit. So according to God and His word, I am good for some things. You get the idea because what is true of me is also true of you. We all have our limitations, and we can all be stretched more than currently are. But the important point I am making is, what we are telling ourselves, we are listening to and believing. Now, this is also a crucial point when it comes to our emotional and spiritual make-up. Because what I believe is what is think. And our mind tells us what to think and what we think is what we do. So, if I am always telling myself negative things and have convinced myself nobody cares, I am going to act like this as well. But that is a lie! There is one who cares deeper than anyone and He cares for me and you! The Apostle Peter found this out personally. Having denied his Lord three times at a time his Lord needed him to be a friend and be by His side most. Peter was defeated. No doubt he told himself all the things we tell ourselves in the moments of defeat and despair. He even went back to his old life for a while. And then Jesus came to him and in tender loving care restored him. It was in that moment Peter went from thinking nobody cared to a clear understanding, nobody cared like Jesus! Peter would use this life changing experience to encourage us by writing with authority and firsthand experience, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) If you talk to yourself beware, you’re listening! And not only are you listening, but you are also believing. So, not “if” but, “when” you talk to yourself make sure you are speaking the truth. You’re smart enough to know better, created in the image of God to reflect His glory. Gifted like no one else to serve Him as only you can. And cared for by one who loves you like nobody else can! One more thing. If you’re looking for something good to talk over with yourself in the days ahead, try following Paul’s advice in Philippians 4:8. Lord, help me to stop lying to myself and speak only Your truth into me because nobody loves and cares for me more than You do. In Jesus name, amen.
