Inner Dialogue
Your Inner Dialogue
Sometimes I’m surprised at my thoughts! Lol… it’s like: okay, I’m a patient person, but my thoughts can turn soooo impatient. Or I’m convinced I forgive easily, and then I battle with thoughts of unforgiveness and even thoughts that seem… “how do you say “.. bitter?? Surprise!! Surprise!!”
What we are SAYING TO OURSELVES directly affects our conclusions, emotions, decisions, identity and inner strength! It affects EVERYTHING!!!
We are always involved in “inner dialogue”! Always! But, we can learn to “step back” from our inner flow and actually LISTEN TO WHAT WE HAVE BEEN THINKING!! Be brave… it can be alarming.
Possibly the most thought-altering perspective is simply widening the inner circle in your mind. In other words, BEING AWARE OF SOMEONE ELSE LISTENING TO YOUR THOUGHTS.
So, is someone else really hearing our thoughts? Yes, there are two actually!
# 1: YOU
YOUR THOUGHTS ARE AFFECTING YOU MORE THAN YOU KNOW. We not only “listen” on a very deep level to our thoughts, we can choose to INTERNALIZE them! In other words, our repeated “thoughts of choice” create perspective and thought patterns, THAT AFFECT EVERYTHING!
Good News! You are not your thoughts!
Viktor Frankl said:
Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.
YOU CAN JUDGE YOUR THOUGHTS! The Bible says it more radically & perfectly: “.. taking EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE” (2 Cor. 10:5). Wow! God actually created us to be in charge of our inner-dialogue.
Who else is listening to our thoughts? Oh, take a guess!! You got it…..
#2: GOD
Really? EEK.. yes, when we remember THAT, it’s a game changer for sure. I always think about the huge difference it makes when we are alone talking on our cellphones, and someone walks into the room and sits down by us… suddenly our spoken words (a direct product of our thoughts) are consciously “monitored”... by us!
Being aware of the reality of God hearing every thought IN OUR MINDS is great! Sobering, at times, but great!!!
HE IS OUR THOUGHT PARTNER! He is committed to helping us take control of our minds, choose thoughts of love & hope, AND gives us power to break toxic thought patterns.
Proverbs 3:5 & 6 was on a decorative, little plaque above my bedroom light switch growing up, and it has kept me in control of my thoughts and emotions many times: “ Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding (that would be thoughts!..), In all your ways, ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, and he will direct your paths (THAT would include thought patterns!)”
“Acknowledge” is not complicated or difficult really… just widen the circle in your mind and choose to be aware of God’s presence WITH YOU!
Obviously our inner dialogue is crucial. No wonder the Bible says, “As a man thinks IN HIS HEART, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7).
When we feel alone and “safe” to follow any thought path that floods my senses from our aggressive, self-centered, media-driven culture and environment, we are vulnerable, and seemingly out of control.
But when I “acknowledge Him”, my inner dialogue changes from negative to positive… from selfish to other-centered. Everyday we can make up our MINDS, to TALK TO GOD! About our families, our challenges, our dreams… EVERYTHING!❤️
Never Give Up!
DeAnza Duron