Sunday Drive - The Power Of Our Words

The power of our words. 

I'm sure you would all agree that we all talk to ourselves... but I think it's important to think about HOW we talk to ourselves. Read this next verse, it is so powerful! I love the message translation.

Proverbs 18:20-21 (MESS)
20  Words satisfy the mind as much as fruit does the stomach; good talk is as gratifying as a good harvest. 21  Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.

Think about it... Our words start with our thoughts. Are your thoughts (words) poison or fruit? Are they building you up and giving you life or are they poison, tearing yourself down?

What if you said these thoughts out loud? What if you heard someone tearing themselves down? What if it was your daughter or your son? You would quickly go to them and tell them to stop! That they are telling themselves lies, not truth!

Now, on the other hand, if you heard someone building themselves up, would you think they are being boastful or prideful? We shouldn't! This world is doing one heck of a job tearing people down. We need to combat it with truth. Tell ourselves good things about ourself!

Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

So how do we learn to build ourselves up? One way is to speak affirmations to ourselves. I found a list of them and printed them up for our granddaughter to say in the mirror when she stayed with us. 

You know she had no problem saying them to herself in the mirror. Now, when I said them to myself out loud in the mirror, it was MUCH more difficult. Because I was accustomed to tearing myself down.

It's time to take those thoughts captive.

2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)
5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Then we need to think about things that are true and speak them out loud.

Philippians 4:8 (NLT)
8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Here is the list of affirmations to say to yourself. It might be hard at first, but like anything in life that you are learning to do, it will get easier. You will start to believe in yourself. You will begin to speak life into your mind and soul. You are worth it! Believe it!

Affirmations to say to yourself in the mirror:
I am kind.
I am smart.
I am brave.
I am loving.
I am a good friend.
I am beautiful.
I am strong.
Jesus loves me!
I love you, too!

Blessings,
Lori