I wonder if your inner voice ever speaks to you like this:
- “Well, you stuck your foot in your mouth again. Why don’t you think before you speak?”
- “There’s no way you’re going to finish that project on time.”
- “Go ahead! Tell her about that award you just won. She’ll be so impressed.”
- “Why is he always so critical? I should give him a piece of my mind!”
- “You have every right to be upset. How rude can a person be?”
At one time or other, similar thoughts have crept into my mind. If allowed to fester, my sense of well-being is compromised.
What I need from time to time is a pep talk from my positive voice to counter the negativity. Maybe you do too.
I can just hear that voice calling for my attention—“Hey Self! Listen Up!”—in preparation to take my thoughts in a new direction.
And what might that new direction include?
Listed below are common default reactions we want to avoid, followed by truths to counter them. For each I’ve included (what I hope is) an insightful quote, and a response from that inner voice residing in my head.
I wonder if these responses might resemble yours?
Anxiety
“Anxiety is rooted in a failure to trust God”—Unknown (1).
Ouch. Did you hear that, Self? Let’s destroy those weeds of worry with affirmations of truth about God!
Psalm 36:5-6
Inadequacy
“Never mind your weakness; it is the very thing that qualifies you. Never mind your feelings of inadequacy; it is God’s work, not yours. Simply make yourself available, and let go of any need to impress others, or prove yourself worthy, or achieve ‘success.’ What matters is that God has chosen you and that God claims you as God’s own”—Brother David Vryhof.
Keep reminding yourself—It is God’s work, not yours. Just stay available, Self, in close connection with him.
Discouragement
“Every step toward Christ kills a doubt. Every thought, word, and deed for Him carries you away from discouragement”—Theodore L. Cuyler.
Okay, Self. Remember: Your King Jesus is Faithful and True, the great Shepherd of his sheep, the head over every authority and power, the Righteous One, and more. AND, this Lord of lords is at work for your benefit (2)!
Helplessness
“While it looks like things are out of control, behind the scenes there is a God who hasn’t surrendered his authority”—A. W. Tozer.
‘See Self? You aren’t helpless. God Almighty is on your side (3)!
Self-Pity
“Our troubles have always brought us blessings, and they always will. They are the black chariots of bright grace”—Charles Spurgeon.
Don’t dwell on the dark distressors, Self. Look for the beams of bright grace.
Perfectionism:
“A flawed rose still smells sweet”—Unknown.
So, Self: pour your energy into diffusing the fragrance of Christ (4)!
Pride:
“God abhors those people worst who adore themselves most”—William Seckler (5).
That knowledge alone, Self, ought to help you nip prideful thoughts in the bud!
Wrong Motives:
“I know when I’m doing the right thing for the wrong reason, because that’s when I want credit for it. When I’m doing the right thing with the right heart, I’m content my Father knows and nobody else. That’s enough for me. Because He’s enough”—Denise J. Hughes (6).
Be most mindful of your Audience of One, Self, just as Big Daddy Weave sang about years ago (7).
Anger (Frustration, Resentment):
“Most often, you should leave your anger . . .at the feet of Jesus and allow him to act in your behalf” (8).
Wise advice, don’t you think, Self?
And there you have it: a positive pep talk of wisdom to counter nine undesirable emotions that vie for soul-space.
Now let’s get out there and seize the every day with positivity, purpose, trust, and expectation!
Notes:
- God’s Little Lessons on Life, no author given, 19.
- Revelation 19:11; Hebrews 13:20-21; Colossians 2:10; 1 John 2:1; Philippians 2:13; Romans 8:28
- Romans 8:31
- 2 Corinthians 2:14-15
- Proverbs 8:13
- Deeper Waters, 115.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKS-c93bfbM&list=RDeKS-c93bfbM&start_radio=1
- The Women’s Study Bible, Thomas Nelson, 957.
Image credits: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net (Gerd Altmann); http://www.publicdomainpictures.net (George Hodan); http://www.heartlight.org; http://www.dailyverses.net (2); http://www.canva.com.
Do sign up below for the monthly newsletter–and thank you in advance for becoming a subscriber!
Discover more from From the Inside Out
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
From the Inside Out 
I do believe you’ve been in my head, dear friend. Those phrases of darkness often run through my mind like rabid rabbits, and your words of wisdom speak directly to the hope that we have in Jesus, the truth of our identity in Him, and the grace that He pours out so graciously on us. I needed this today. Thank you, Nancy.
Isn’t it wonderful that, for every rabid rabbit running around in our heads, God has the anecdote. Indeed, Dayle, praise him for his wisdom and grace!
Thanks for this uplifting “positive pep talk of wisdom,” Nancy. It’s amazing how wisdom can help us understand and manage our emotions. Practicing the wisdom of gratitude really helps me get on track. 🙂
Oh yes–gratitude is POWERFUL antidote for what ails us! Thank you for adding it to the conversation, Nancy.
This is great, Nancy. It is so easy to let those thoughts invade our minds and influence our lives. Thanks for keeping me in check.
As the body of Christ, we keep each other in check, Ruth! I’m so thankful for sisters of faith that share their struggles, their hearts, their insights from our Father. We’re better together, providing one another the support, encouragement, and challenge we need.
AMEN!
Wonderful and uplifting post! Thank you for sharing your ‘pep talk’! When we bring everything to God, we find our way every time!
Amen, my friend! So glad you found uplift here.
Nancy, thank you for sharing this. It is so easy to let negativity be the narrative we listen to. But may we fight it with the Word and reliance on the Lord.
Amen, my friend. It can be a battle sometimes to keep a positive frame of mind, but well worth it. Negativity is toxic in so many ways!
Thank you for doing all this digging and sharing.
TT
[image: –Join me at Living Our Days]
Join me at Living Our Days https://michelemorin.net “The way we live our days is, of course, the way we live our lives.” (Annie Dillard)https://linktr.ee/MicheleDMorin
You’re welcome, Michele. I actually enjoy the digging process, often finding treasure that richly impacts my own spirit!
This is so good, Nancy. We DO talk to ourselves and often in way we would never talk to others. I have just started Margaret Feinberg’s More Power to You. These devotions fit in so well with your post today. They speak a lie that Satan/the world tells us and then counters that lie with what God says in the Bible.
Sounds like an empowering read, Linda. I’ve read her book, Wonderstruck, and found it meaningful–lots of highlighted bits! I’m putting this title on my potential TBP list. Always appreciate your book recommendations!
Yikes, Boy this does sound familiar!!! I hope one day the truths will come quicker than the negatives! I’m thankful I’m aware and for encouragement such as you’ve shared.
Awareness is more than half the battle, I think. The sooner we realize we’re sliding into negativity and shift to praise, gratitude and positivity, the better off we are. Keeping each other encouraged greatly helps!
Haha, very familiar dialogs. Wrong motives are especially subtle. I’ve been made aware if that when someone else takes credit for something I’ve done and I’m unpleasantly surprised at how much it bothers me.
I don’t remember who first said it, but I love the quote, “We may never know how much can be accomplished by a unified group of people working together who don’t care who gets the credit.”
‘Been there; ‘done that–becoming frustrated when someone else takes credit for something I’ve done or said! ‘Love that quote you shared, Annie. Once again, that song title “Audience of One” can reset my focus!
“To my audience of one, You are Father and you are Son. Let your spirit flow free as it shines within me a heart that beats to praise You. And just to love You more, has become my great reward.” Oh, Nancy, may our souls cling to and bond with the Lord more than we could ever imagine in our limited imaginations. May our aim be to love Him more. Blessings!
Ah–you know the song too, Martha! And you are so right: if our aim is love our God more, a lot of these negative thoughts will die on the vine, for lack of nurturing.
I’m thankful to have read this message, you have offered information that I needed to be reminded of. This is very helpful.
Praise God you found this post helpful, Julie! That warms my heart.
💖😊💖
very interesting list to read and ponder. I caught myself the other day, honestly thinking I wasn’t good enough for God then in a split second went the other direction that God wasn’t enough and I had to handle things. I heard both voices – the self-rejection one, then the one covered with pride and independence. Wow that was a moment of self-awareness, and prayer of surrender!
Satan and his cohorts never give up, do they! I love how you fought your battle with a prayer of surrender to God. How wonderful to have his promise of victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57).
Thank you, Nancy! I needed that pep talk today.
Praise God you found the post meaningful, Pam. I’m so glad!
Perhaps the “take a breath before speaking or writing” advice people give is actually God intervening as if to say, “Think positive!” It’s an exercise I’d do well to practice. Then I wouldn’t rely so much on reflecting well after the fact. Hindsight my be 20/20 but it’s not even necessary if we just get our thinking in line with Him!
AMEN Dave! I too pray to get my thinking in line with my Heavenly Father’s! You’ve brought to mind a quote I came across years ago; maybe you know it too: “Sow a thought, and you reap an action; sow an act, and you reap a habit; sow a habit, and you reap a character; sow a character, and you reap a destiny.” Imagine if every sowed thought was in line with God! It’s a lofty goal but one well worth pursuing. (Help me to press on, Lord!)
Your posts are always so strengthening, Nancy. ❤
Thank you, Anna. So glad you find encouragement here. I praise God for every idea, thought, and word he plants in my head, to share here!
What a great list, Nancy! I especially love that quote by Tozer. I feel like every generation is panicked about what life will be like for the next generation, and I sometimes get nervous also. But then I remind myself, God is sovereign over all of history and can change the course of it at any moment.
Every now and then I’m reminded of a quote from a wise man who decried the younger generation for being lazy, disrespectful, tyrants in their own homes, etc. You’d have thought the gentleman was living in this century, but it was Socrates! So you are right when you say every generation feels panicked about what life will be like for the next generation. Somehow God has sustained this little planet for eons, even though working with imperfect humans to accomplish such a feat. Praise God he IS sovereign over all!
This post reminded me (for the second time in two weeks) about letting go of hurtful behavior that was done to me by a born-again friend twice…decades ago. It’s not a constant memory; just once in a while.
I have forgiven her in my heart but the memories creep back because I haven’t figured out WHY she behaved that way. My mom says that since I can’t forget it, I have not truly forgiven her. Maybe I’m hanging on to self-pity. It is possible that this friend never even realized that she hurt me.
I know that when I ask the Lord for forgiveness that He forgives me and remembers the sins no more. (Hebrews 8:12) But I’m not God and I fail to forget. (I hope my mom is wrong that I have not, indeed forgiven her.)
I think it is possible that Satan brings up the two incidents to distract me from my fellowship with the Lord. I have made it a priority to take this to the Lord in prayer daily.
(You may respond via email if you think best.)
I think you’re right, Cheri. Satan would love to keep you down and these two incidents make good poking sticks for him! The best ways I’ve found to fight back are praise and gratitude. It’s not a “one-and-done” process either, because Satan never gives up. But the more we turn away from him and turn to God, the less effective our enemy’s ploys become.