What do you feed yourself?

There is an Old saying that most, if not all, will be very familiar with.  It is the mealtime mantra of mothers and the health conscious.  "You are what you eat."  Though this is very true and proven to be important for a health lifestyle and physical training, it is also true for food of a different sort. "For physical training is of some value, but godliness has a value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” (I Timothy 4:8)  What we feed ourselves, that is what we listen to, read, and watch, from the quit whisperings of the enemy to the noisome bombardment of twenty first century twenty-four-seven multimedia has a profound effect on the spirit and the soul with far reaching effects into our life. 

Quite recently I came across an intriguing statement.  I am not sure if I read it or heard it from one of the many preachers I enjoy listening to on Moody Radio throughout the week, but the statement, more or less, was this.  “Our problem is that we spend more time listening to ourselves rather than talking to ourselves.”  As is often case, if one is careful enough in observation, profundity exists in the obvious.  This has certainly been a struggle for me through some of the harder seasons of my life.  A good friend and counselor of mine has often said “what you feel and what you think will lie to you.”  What is whispered to our self from our hearts and minds and our environment is frequently hijacked by the enemy, the “father of lies.”  Quietly, if we are not wary enough to perceive it, these whispers will breed a decay of the soul which leads to fear, doubt, loss of joy, loss of peace and to despair.  Think about the last trial you faced, or the one you are facing.  What did you hear from yourself?  For me it was often discouraging banter.  Lies such as, “this is a hole you will never get out of,” “You will never finish paying for this mistake,” “God is surely unhappy with you,” “you always fail, and always will,” are just a handful of the destructive whispers that I would hear while listening to myself.  What about you?  What whispers do you hear in trials, mistakes or difficulties?

The weapon against the discouraging lies we hear when listening to ourselves is speaking truth to ourselves.  A very wise woman that I know told me often when I was facing various trials that Truth needed to be spoken into my life.  But, to speak the truth into our lives we must first, of course, know that truth.  Lies hold us captive but “the truth will set [us] free.”  This truth is God, and is found in His word.  This is why it is vital to Christian survival to be in God’s word and be in it regularly.  It is there we discover the truth of God’s goodly nature and His promises to us.  These words are strong rocks to stand on, the strongest in fact (consider Matthew 8:24-27).  The scriptures are filled from Genesis to Revelation with promises God has made to His children and the truths of His nature.  Psalm 23, Isaiah 43, Psalm 27:13, John 16:33 and many other passages present these promises and truths. Indeed the whole of scripture is one grand promise whose fulfillment is found in the central character of Christ who redeemed us to Himself.

Knowing the truth is one thing. Regularly reading God's word and memorizing it is very healthy.  It feeds the spirit and nourishes the soul.  However, it must be believed and trusted, and it must be listened to.  Instead of listening to yourself, which is quite passive and easy and takes little effort, you have to actively work at speaking truth to yourself.  It takes a concerted effort and considerable discipline, whatever the situation or season you come to, to develop the practice of speaking truth to yourself.  It is a choice to turn away from lies and grab a hold on the truth moment to moment and day to day.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for your word, which is so vibrant with your "great

and precious promises" and your many truths.  I pray that all of us develop

the regular practice of speaking THE Truth, your truth into our lives.  There

will be hard times in this world, but you have overcome the world.  You walk with us

through every season.  May you give us eyes to see your presence, and ears to hear

your voice.

Amen