Inner Dialog

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What’s your mantra? Does it line up with what you want it to be?

I use the term ‘mantra’ lightly, as it’s not necessarily a prayer or incantation I refer to, but the definition that says it’s is simply an often repeated word or phrase.

To me, your mantra is the word or phrase your mind plays back to you regularly. For example, one might hear her own voice daily declaring, “I’m so fat, I’ll never lose this weight….” Or, one might hear her inner voice telling her something like, “I’m powerful, positive, healthy and strong!”

Which voice is likely to empower you and help you to get the most out of your day? Which is likely to take you in the right direction?

We may think we have a positive mantra because we want to be a positive person. But, if things aren’t going as we want them to, or if people are less than enthusiastic about hanging out with us, maybe we’d better take a closer listen to what we tell ourselves every day.

(examinedexistence.com)

Admittedly, it can be hard to make a positive profession about our weight when our jeans get tighter every time we put them on. When everything around us seems to be going wrong, it’s not always easy to declare, in a whisper, that we are successful, happy people.

We too often tend to look at our circumstances, and then – access the situation. Our attitude can change our situations!

No one else knows your secret thoughts, your hidden fears. Well, accept God Himself. We can become masters of deceit when we don’t want the people around us to know how we feel or what we’re thinking.

Never really thought of yourself as deceitful? Me neither. But, who are we deceiving more, those who surround us, who love us – or ourselves?

(silvieandmaryl.com)

Walk past a picture window and glance at your reflection. What’s your immediate response? Yes, the one that flashes through your mind before you clean it up to tell me about it.

Granted, if your physique isn’t something you struggle with, that might be a bad example.

Maybe you view the people around you as more powerful than yourself. Maybe you’re intimidated by them. When the man from the next office over strides by with his shoulders back like he owns the world, does that bother you?

Or maybe, you think you’re better than him. Maybe your ego shouts over any voices of intimidation.

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Okay, so maybe I’m coming up with bad examples. What comes to your mind?

Where is it hard to say something nice about yourself? Where do you find it hardest to take compliments? Where is it most difficult to believe what God says about you?

It just could be that the soundtrack playing your mantra has become so familiar to you, that you don’t consciously hear it anymore. But, it’s still feeding you a lie. And the part of you that’s being fed that lie is the part of you you’re least comfortable with, it may even embarrass you.

So, take a minute to listen. Hear what you say to yourself every day. The best place to listen is in front of a mirror. Write it down. Is it good? Is it something you’d proudly share with others?

Within the secrets of successful people is tucked away a precious nugget that says they can be who they want to be, because they already see themselves that way.

 

(prepare1.com)

If I see myself as fat and lazy, I’m probably not going to find it easy to live the life of a healthy, productive woman. Logical. But, we take our thoughts for granted. Only we can change them, and it’s our choice to do so or not.

Where will you start making changes today? That mantra won’t magically change overnight. You’ll have to work at it. You’ve lived with it for how long now?

But, let the changes begin right now!

You might know what Jeremiah 29:11 says. You might know that God has good thoughts of you; good plans for you. But, do you tie His hands with your own unbelief? Do you sabotage His plans with your negative mantras and insecurities?

Whether it seems easy to do or not, - trust Him.

(familytreecounseling.com)

“How precious also are they thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand…” – Psalm 139:17 – 18 (KJV)

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” – Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV)

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Spoken Words

(photo from marjoriehoumes.com)

Sometimes it’s hard to share a conversation with someone if you think they’re dismissing what you have to say before you’ve even said it. We may even applaud them for the self-control it takes to conceal the rolling of their eyes,

But, what if we’re mistaken? (Could that possibly ever happen? Us? Be wrong?) What if there’s something tugging on the inside of their heart, perhaps for no apparent reason, today they’re ready to listen; today they want to know what you have to say?

Only God knows the thoughts and intents of our hearts, only He knows when we’re broken and receptive. So when we feel Him tugging at our hearts to speak, it’s only right that we should listen and obey. If we’re prayed up and seeking after His will; His heart of passion, He can pour into those around us through our obedience.

We can share from experience, but sometimes God will give us the precise words someone else needs to hear.

A few years back a new man showed up where I worked. I’d had no occasion to speak with him yet, but, he approached me in the parking lot one day and called me by name. Sure, I was a popular gal around the office and everyone knew my name, so that was no big deal, someone told him. But then he went on to say, “Helen, God’s word for you is ‘fear not’.” I blinked a few times in disbelief. I responded with a defensive gut reaction, “I’m not afraid.” He smiled at me, then spoke personal words that only God could have shared with me; words of reassurance and hope; promises that only God could make; words this man could not have known. He spoke to something that had happened in my life years ago. He spoke over one of my children. He spoke from obedience to what God was showing him. He spoke with boldness and kindness. – I never saw him again. It was as if God brought him into my life for that moment.

So many times I’ve conversed with someone, friend or stranger, and they’ve responded with hope in their eyes, “That’s just what I needed to hear,” or “How did you know I needed to hear that?”

Unfortunately, I can’t boast that I always have the words you need to hear. But I can attest to the fact that God always knows what you need. He’ll send people into your life to speak truth to you. But, He’ll also send you into the lives of those around you, to speak truth to them. How many times have you failed to follow His lead? How many times might the words He gave you have caused friend or stranger to rejoice? How many times might someone have failed to give you those words of encouragement He had for you?

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue….” – Proverbs 18:21 (KJV)

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.” – Psalm 19:17 (KJV)

 Excellent song; Words - listen to it here.