Do you talk to yourself sometimes? I think most of us do, and the rest just send silent messages in their mind instead. I have found in my old age that I not only speak to the Lord out loud much more often, but I talk to myself more often as well. The world around me might view that as a mental problem, but I know as long as I don’t answer myself and start an argument, it is just my way of keeping sane.
The easiest thing for me to do is talk myself out of doing something I know I should do. The enemy even helps by providing a list of reasons that today is not a good day for it. I’m going to let you in on a secret. If I only posted to this blog when I felt like it or had time for it, you would be hearing from me once or twice a month instead of twice a week for the last three and a half years. We all need words of encouragement and reminders of our commitments. When those words pass through our own lips to our ears, they have a very strong impact. I need to speak encouragement and strength into my mind and heart every day.
I have mentioned before that I often read scripture out loud. “Faith comes by hearing” (Romans 10:17) and there is no human voice I’d rather hear than my own. Seriously, it really does help God’s word to sink into my mind and my heart.
The greatest worship song writer, King David, filled the book of Psalms with great songs of praise and worship. Some, like the 23rd Psalm, begin with a reminder of all of the things God has done for him. He obviously wrote those songs when he was in a mood of worship and praise. But some of his greatest words of praise come at the end of songs that begin with a list of reasons (present storms in his life) that make praise and worship difficult. As those songs progress, you can hear him remind himself that God has never failed to keep His commitments and that reminder brings forth some of his most powerful words of praise. So, my Christian brother or sister, don’t ever be afraid to talk to yourself; just be sure that your words are inspiring and encouraging. Otherwise, you just might talk yourself out of what God has planned for you.