…don’t say anything at all, right?

What if I’m talking to myself? Yes, I do this. Often in the grocery store. When I can’t remember all the items on my mental list. And I’m pretty sure the produce guy loves it.

But no, today I’m talking about the kind of self-talk we all do. Maybe not out loud. And maybe not even intentionally. But think about it: We “hear” ourselves more than anyone else. We’re listeners of every single thought trekking through our minds. 

Which should probably elevate our thoughts, the things we say to ourselves, to all sorts of importance, yeah? 

Which should also convict me for allowing thoughts like this to ping-pong in my brain: I’m so behind, I’ll never catch up. I’m having trouble enjoying the holidays because of the stress. Why can’t I be like those people who have it all together? When’s it my turn?

Yeah, can you say grump? Or, pick the Christmas grouch of your choice: Grinch, Scrooge…

Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Well, I’ve been thinking a lot about thinking lately…about talking to myself and the wrong kinds of things I’ve allowed me to say to…me. Was even trying to think of a way to blog about this earlier this week. Then my mom called on Wednesday, read me the quote below from Martyn Lloyd-Jones. He said it about a gazillion times better than I could…

We must talk to ourselves instead of allowing “ourselves” to talk to us!…You must say to yourself: “Why art thou cast down–what business have you to be disquieted?” You must…exort yourself, and say to yourself: “Hope thou in God,” instead of muttering in this depressed, unhappy way. And then you must go on to remind yourself of God, Who God is, and what God is, and what God has done, and what God has pledged Himself to do. Then having done that, end on this great note: defy yourself, and defy other people, and defy the devil and the whole world, and say with this man: “I shall yet praise Him…”*

The vocab may feel aged, but the truth in Lloyd-Jones’ words has been like a lighthouse to me in these past couple days, a beacon scanning and spotlighting the unruly waves of my own thoughts. We have a choice: Let worry or stress or anxiety toss us around or choose calm waters by thinking the right thoughts, speaking truth to ourselves. Truths like this:

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, 
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

As we approach Christmas, I want to purposely navigate my thoughts, get my focus off me and on Hope in the form of a baby in a manger. And when the to-do list or busyness or doubt or distress try to talk their way into my life, I will talk louder…because like the shepherds, I have every reason to “rejoice exceedingly with great joy.”

How about you? Do you ever find yourself talking yourself into a mess? Like me, are you pretty okay at guarding your words to others, but not yourself? What thoughts of hope/joy/peace will you focus on this Christmas season?

*Martyn Lloyd-Jones is one of the most influential preachers of the 20th century. For nearly 30 years in the mid 1900s, he was the minister of Westminster Chapel in London. I attended Westminster Chapel while studying in London and heard so much about Lloyd-Jones. Yup, I’m a fan. 🙂

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