Do you ever talk to yourself? What do you say? How do you say it? Do you listen?👂

In the past, people who talked to themselves were sent to mental institutions.

Now we have a socially, psychologically, accepted term for it– “Self-talk”!

That’s because enough “normal” people finally admitted they do it all the time. WE ALL do it.

Some people do it less, but we still all do it– generally not out loud, but many of the thoughts we think are actually a form of communicating with ourselves.

For example, do you ever engage in inner debate over an important decision you need to make? This is called “considering the options”, or “weighing the pros and cons”, which we need to do.

Or, have you ever rehashed a previous conversation in your mind, telling yourself– “I should have said…”, “Next time he says…I’m going to…”, etc.?

Or, remember the last time someone in authority over you (boss, parent, professor) said they needed to meet with you?  Did you start telling yourself all the possible reasons for that (getting more anxious with each thought), and mentally planning excuses for each possible accusation?  Who hasn’t done that?

We also often “talk ourselves into/out of” things.

And it doesn’t take a PhD in Psychology to realize that if we keep telling ourselves negative stuff, we’re going to feel depressed… scared… hopeless… anxious… upset… and mess up our emotional, physical, social, and spiritual health!

–>Since our thoughts and “self-talk” are essentially intertwined, we have to be AWARE OF what we’re thinking– and sort it out.

How do we do this?

First— don’t let thoughts enter in unnoticed and unchecked. 2 Cor. 10:5 tells us:

“…we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

In other words, your mind needs to be a “gated community” with a security station and guard posted.

Every time a thought arrives from wherever, make sure the boom-gate is down so that thought can’t just cruise right past, vandalize your mind, and create havoc in the “community”. Instead, hold it outside, at the gate, and do an “identity check” on it before letting it pass into your thought-life. 

Second— When doing the identity check, use this Phil. 4:8 “approved” list to determine whether the thought can “visit” or stay: “True, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and/or worthy of praise.”  If it’s part of one of those “families”, let it pass. Once it enters your mind, welcome it, have a conversation with ourselves about it, and learn from it.

If it doesn’t have any of the above “family names”, kick it out, before it kicks you gut-level– it’s toxic! Get rid of it before you tell yourself any of it! 

Why do we need to be so vigilant about all this?

Because our SELF-TALK BECOMES OUR LIFE-WALK. 👣

~The things we tell ourselves become our beliefs—about ourselves, others, situations, and options.  Those beliefs then determine our attitudes.  Those attitudes then lead to our behavior—what we say and do, or don’t say and don’t do.

That’s why Rom. 12:2 exhorts us: 

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

And Prov. 4:23 warns us:

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”

Here’s the progression: Thoughts and feelings à self-talk à life

~What kinds of conversations have you been having with yourself lately?

~How have they affected your life?