Day Twelve

SPEAK KINDLY TO YOURSELF

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

—PROVERBS 18:21 NIV

This morning when I did not like the look of the jeans I put on, I told myself so. Old Annie would have continued a barrage of ugly remarks about my looks, but instead, I looked in the mirror and said, “Hey, put on a different pair. No biggie.” And I shook it off and changed.

See how Proverbs 18:21 says everything you say is either producing life or death? It’s just as true when you talk to yourself as when you are speaking to others. Just like with my jeans this morning, I have to choose words of life over words of death. That’s the kind of conversations I want to have with myself—the ones that are truthful, kind, and full of life.

Friend, stop being mean to yourself. Seriously. If you are going to be the person who does the brave things God is calling you to do, speaking life and developing beautiful things in others with your words, it begins with doing that for yourself.

Self-talk is a big part of everyone’s life. We constantly and subconsciously have thoughts running through our minds that direct our days. You need to listen to those. The negative ones? The ones that cut you down and make you feel unloved and afraid? Time to chuck them. Stop yourself, identify the lie, and say the truth in its place.

Speaking kindly to yourself will make you brave.

Speaking kindly to yourself will make you brave. And if you’re having trouble finding reasons to speak kindly to yourself, remember: It’s not that you have earned the love of God or that you deserve love. God loves us, even though we don’t deserve it (1 John 4:19).

You haven’t earned this love; it’s a gift. We don’t attempt to beat the lies and believe the truth and love ourselves because we are perfect. We do it because in our imperfections, God loves us deeply and has made us just the way He wanted.

You can speak kindly to yourself because God loves you deeply because you are His. Speak kindly to yourself, as Jesus speaks kindly to you. Those words have power, and if you believe them, you will be brave.

BE BRAVE: Write yourself a quick note and list three things you are thankful for about yourself. (Seriously. Do it.)