The voices in your head

If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. (Romans 8:31-34 NLT)

There are moments in a person's life when they come to realize they have been listening to the 'wrong voices'. Either they are listening to the voices of negative self-talk, or they have chosen to listen to naysayers around them who do little to encourage. At some point, 'who' we listen to determines 'what' it is we will believe about ourselves. Listen to all that negativity and you will soon begin to doubt your choices, think you don't have the potential to change, or you are just a genuine loser in every sense of the term. Listen to the encouragement of God that comes from his Word, time spent worshiping him, and from those who have drawn close to his heart, and you might just begin to see yourself as HE sees you. In truth, there is no other person or purpose we should 'listen to' in our lives anyway!

Accusations came - you heard them and began to believe what was being said about yourself. Criticisms came - you took it all in, believing you couldn't break free from whatever it was that was holding you back. Hear God's Words clearly: You are God's chosen. You have right-standing with him. No one can come against you. Since those words are true, you need not listen to the accusations or critical naysayers all around you. Begin to repeat what God describes as your 'standing' with him. Though less than perfect, he loved you. Though unable to break free of sin's hold on your own, he made a way for you to be free. Though you feared those who stood against you, he never abandoned you to their devices - including their words!

This is a new year. A chance for a new beginning. It is time to begin to listen to the RIGHT voices. When your mind wants to wander into those 'self-abasing testimonies' once again, have his Word at hand. Begin to tuck just a few things he says about you away in the recesses of your memory and use those words to combat the negative self-talk that creeps in. Don't listen to the voices of those who find it easier to criticize than to understand. Recount how he has given you right-standing with him. No one is more honored, precious, or 'perfect' in his sight than the one he has chosen to be his own. You are more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus. You are his beloved. You are not your past. You are his child of grace. Just sayin!