Who are you listening to?
Jesus warns us that we have an enemy whose strategy is to steal our self-worth by whispering small, but believable, lies into our minds. “You’re not valuable. You’re not worth anything. You’re not beautiful. You’re not smart enough.” These lies begin to pile up, slowly and methodically destroying our passion for life.
Before long we become victims to our own negative self-talk. If you start to believe the lies, you will base your actions and decisions on a foundation of lies and never discover your true beauty. But Jesus tells us the truth will set us free.
This truth, found in the Bible, offers us three very practical steps for eliminating negative self-talk from our minds.
Discover how God sees you.
Christ tells us to find our true worth in him. In Ephesians 2:10, he tells us that we are “God’s masterpiece.” God loves you completely and unconditionally, and he designed you for a purpose! The way you look, think, and act is part of his special plan for you.
Think about the night sky for a moment. When you look at the stars, you can’t help but stand in awe of the intricate detail and love put into them by the Creator. Every star is individually gorgeous and unique just the way it is. God feels the same way about you! He designed you exactly the way he wanted you to be. You’re designed to play a unique part in this world.
Look to the one who designed you and called you his “masterpiece” to find out who you really are. When you begin to explore the truth of who God made you to be, you’ll be set free from the chains of negativity to experience a meaningful life full of joy, full of peace, and full of value!
Choose the right friends.
In this hurting world we live in, it’s vital to surround ourselves with friends who will stand in the struggle with us, and who will build us up in the battle. We have to choose our friends wisely because, whether we want to or not, we will become like the people we hang around. When I started my freshman year of college, I didn’t know anyone. I felt totally out of the loop, as if I was never going to find a close group of friends. It was awful. But I felt God telling me that if I would just wait, he would bring the right people into my life at the right time. So while everyone around me seemed to have found their lifelong friends, I patiently waited for mine. Was it easy? Not at all. I hated it, actually. But was it worth it? More than anything! It was worth being lonely for a semester to receive those beautiful friends.
If you are a student changing schools or going off to college, it’s tempting to rush into the first group you find; none of us want to feel awkward or unwanted. But I encourage you to wait on God. Hold out for the friendships that he has selected for you. When you surround yourself with positive, godly friends, you’ll start reflecting Christ’s love and eliminate a lot of negative self-talk.