A main source of discouragement
We are our own worse enemy.
John C. Maxwell in his book The Difference Maker: Making Your Attitude Your Greatest Asset speaks of our negative self-talk. We unintentionally are constantly downing ourselves. We are our own worse enemy. Maxwell quotes Martyn Lloyd-Jones from his book Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure giving the following quote:
“Most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself rather than talking to yourself.”
By that, I think he means that we often passively allow negative messages from our past to influence our thinking instead of actively telling ourselves good things that will help us to think more positively. For years I’ve used phrases such as these tohelp me:
- This too shall pass.
- Things could be worse.
- It’s not what happens to me but what happens in me that matters most.
- Keep your chin up.
- Do it anyway.
You need to find your own phrases in a language that works for you. But be sure that the language is positively motivational, not negative or belittling. Nobody can motivate himself in a positive direction by continually using negative words.
I have been guilty of this most of my life. I know that many of my friends do the same. We have developed negative opinions about everything. We do not need the Devil to accuse us we are doing a pretty good job by ourselves.
I want to change that. I want to learn to control my thinking. I want to learn to think in terms of gratitude. I want to see what God is doing. I want to do what the ole hymn said and "Count my many blessings, name them one by one and it will surprise you what the Lord has done!"
Let's work together to turn our focus from ourselves to the Lord. We can live in the victory He has won for us.
