Self-Talk That Is Constructive - Reminding Ourselves God Is With Us, Etc.

 We went from making stands for what’s right to moving forward. As we move forward, we need to ensure our self-talk doesn’t defeat us.

Do you use that? I don’t mean talking to yourself. Self-talk is what we tell ourselves. ​​It’s often subconscious - we don't notice it. But have you thought "I can do this" before trying a new thing? That’s positive use. That’s where Phil. 4:13 helps. Have you memorized it?

John 1:12 is one those who know Jesus as Saviour can use. As you recall you're a child of God, it’ll help with a lot of problems - sadness, worry, loneliness, etc. – as God helps you through things. It can increase your joy and do a lot more, too.

Dodger All-Star Pedro Guerrero moved to 3rd base once. He had poor self-talk, but joked about it. He said his first thought was, “Don’t hit the ball to me.” His 2nd thought was, “Don’t hit it to Steve Sax, either.” (Sax, an All-Star 2nd baseman, had had trouble making a short throw to first, but got better. Guerrero was moved back to the outfield, though.)

This doesn’t mean we can control everything without God’s help. It does, however, mean exercising our faith. It means using verses like the ones I mentioned and realizing God is helping us with whatever we need.

Still, it doesn’t help to just say “God can help me.” If Hall of Fame pitcher Mariano Rivera had just said “God will help me re-learn how to pitch” after his surgery in the 1990s, but hadn’t put that faith to practice, he never would have learned to throw the nasty pitch that was his trademark. He never would have had the success he did But, Rivera was a born-again child of God. Some quotes from a website that quotes his book, “The Closer”:

Immediately [after he prayed to trust Jesus as his Saviour], he felt a burden lifted from his shoulders. “It is the burden of feeling you have to do it by yourself, of feeling alone and overwhelmed by your own limitations.” He felt the Lord giving him a chance to be “a different person, to free me from my sins, to be joyous and free.”

As for his pitching: “It is a gift from the Lord,” Mariano recounts in his book. “I have known for a long time that He is using me for His own purposes, that he wants my pitching to help spread the good news about the Gospel of Jesus.” The increased speed stayed with him the rest of his career.

You can read the full story at www.Godreports.com, searching for his name. (Better yet, the book.) For now, consider how his self-talk helped him. Before, he had a huge burden. That happens when we take our eyes off of God. We can trick ourselves for a while, but inwardly, we will feel emptier than we would with God. This is why Hebrews 11:6 is a great verse for self-talk – it’s God promise that He rewards those who diligently seek Him.

For some to want to seek Him, they need a reason to believe. Rivera’s cousin Vidal was a wonderfully change person after he got saved; that was the start of Rivera wanting to know Jesus. Rivera saw lots of people who weren’t great examples, too, I’m sure – some people just pretend. Jesus told a parable about that – the wheat and the tares. You can look it up. For now, remember that our self-talk can help or hurt our faith.

Jesus can help our self-talk. He’ll use others in a great way, His Word, etc.. Note the man in Mark 9 who asks for his son to be delivered. The man doubts, but he recognizes that poor self-talk. He believes and asks Jesus (v. 24) to help his unbelief. Then, Jesus heals the boy. He uses Scripture like that to help me at times: “Believest thou I am able to do this?” comes to mind. I say “yes” and ask for help. We all struggle, even Bible teachers.

As you go forward, let Jesus increase your faith. He wants to help you with that – He longs to help us through everything.