Christian Mental Health: Turn Negative Self-Talk into Positive Affirmations

One of the key components of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is to identify your negative self-talk and replace it with positive statements. In the kingdom of God, unfortunately, we act like we are more godly or something if we are constantly beating ourselves up, either verbally out loud or at least in our minds. Please, please, if this is you, begin to change this habit and become affirming of the good things!

It's about focus. What do you focus on? The good or the bad? Think about binoculars. When you focus them, the item you're looking at becomes bigger and clearer in your vision and in your mind. Your thoughts and internal self-talk are like the binoculars of your soul. What you focus on will get bigger and clearer.

"O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. " (Psalm 34:3)

"I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving." (Psalm 69:30)

Can you or I make God bigger? Of course not. But by praising Him, singing to Him, and thanking Him for all the good in our lives, He becomes more focused in our own mental eyes and thus is larger and clearer to us.

Here are some things I've noticed after many years of being part of conservative, Bible-believing churches. Precious people who are faithful to do all sorts of generous, benevolent deeds all the time will start their prayers off like groveling worms. "Oh, Lord, I know I'm not worthy to approach Your throne, etc., etc." But when we accept the blood of Jesus as the atoning sacrifice for our sins and the Spirit of God comes to live in our hearts (i.e. salvation!) we are no longer guilty. He takes our guilt and sins away.

Focus on that!

So let's identify some common types of negative self-talk.

"I never can do anything right."

"I'm so stupid."

"I'm fat and ugly. No one could ever like me."

"With my luck...(followed by a forecast of something bad happening.)"

"Who do you think you are, trying to accomplish that???"

"You know those people don't like you."

Sometimes that little voice inside calls you "you" and sometimes it speaks in first person, but either way, it is calling things so that are simply not so. Or at worst they are only part of the complete picture. For instance, if your "internal critic" constantly says "You're ugly," the truth really is that though you may not have facial features like a movie star, you probably have pretty eyes (or nice hair, a cute nose, or something) and even if you don't, the outer beauty is not what counts anyway.

If that negative voice says "You never do anything right," I'm sure you can counter that with something you've done right!

Something that may help is to take a moment at night as you go to bed to think of a few things you did right during the day. Here are some possibilities...

You were patient with a store clerk.

You helped your child with her schoolwork.

You prayed for a friend who was worried about her sister.

You cooked a nice meal.

You swept the floor or did a load of laundry.

You took time to smell a rose or pat the dog.

If you can't think of even one or two good things you did during the day, ask God to help you remember them.  And thank Him for every positive thing that happened for you during the day. It is His strength that makes us able to do any good at all.

Positive Affirmations:

Here are two Greek words from the Bible that you need to know.

"Energeo" and "Dunamis"

We get our English words "energy" from the first, and "dynamite" from the second. If you are suffering from depression or anxiety that stops you in your tracks and keeps you from accomplishing anything, a little dynamite energy would be a good thing, wouldn't it?

Energeo is rendered "do," "work," or "effectual" in the KJV, and is found in 1 Thessalonians 2:13, which tells us that the Word of God "...effectually worketh also in you that believe."

Dunamis is translated "ability," "might," "power," or "strength" in the Bible, and refers to miraculous power. Both of these words are seen in Ephesians 3:20, which tells us that God "...is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power (dunamis) that worketh (energeo) in us."

Here is a wonderful dunamis verse on which to meditate, written by Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9. "And he (the Lord) said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power (dunamis) of Christ may rest upon me."

A little note here: The word picture in the Greek of the power of Christ resting upon us is that of Him pitching His tent to stay with us. He is with you and in you if you are a believer. There is no reason for you to feel badly toward yourself or to listen to those negative things that come up in your mind about yourself.

Finally, consider 2 Corinthians 10:4-5.

"(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"

Our negative thoughts and imaginations are like weapons aimed at us from the enemy. They can easily become strongholds in our minds. Through the power of Christ, we can take those thoughts captive and force them to submit to the truth, which is that the Spirit of God indwells and enables us.

"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32)

Summary:

When you find yourself thinking negatively about yourself, your abilities, and your future, replace each negative thought with a positive truth. As you study your Bible, you will find more positive truths to affirm. For now, you can use the Scriptures in this article. If you keep a journal, I would encourage you to set aside a portion for listing and writing out positive affirmations from the Word of God. I have an unlined journal in which I write out good verses with colored pens and decorate them. I doodle little appropriate pictures with them. The colors and pictures make them easy to find when I want to remind myself of these good thoughts.

It is really beneficial to speak these truths out loud. Researchers tell us you are more likely to believe what you hear yourself say than what you hear other people say. We believe the truths of the Good News of the Gospel, so let's speak them out!

I am a child of God and dearly loved.

Jesus bought me with His precious blood and lives in my heart.

The Holy Spirit enables me with dynamite power to do anything God wants me to do.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

My strength is renewed like the eagle's because I wait on the Lord. (See Isaiah 40:29-31.)

My God supplies all my needs according to His riches in glory. (See Philippians 4:19.)

God has forgiven the guilt of my sin. (See Psalms 32:5)

Just think. The word "guilt" has a silent u. Maybe that's because focusing on your own guilt will silence and stop the real "YOU" from being all God meant for you to be! Without the silent u it becomes "gilt" which means you are adorned with pure gold! Give up that guilt!

Remember: It is God's will for us to overcome negative self-talk and develop positive affirmations. This is not some kind of fakey lying to yourself to feel better. This is about faith and believing the truth of God's Word!

 written by Barbara Wood, Mar. 16, 2011