Golden Nugget: God has equipped us to follow his commands. You are capable of handling this.

Daily Message:

OK, so we know that, according to the Bible, God wants us to deal appropriately with the pain and suffering we have in our lives—to forgive those who have hurt us, to forgive ourselves, to change our behaviors, and to focus on obedience to him. But sometimes all of that is just flat-out hard to do.

I don’t know about you, but it seems like just when I get one area of my life under control, I mess up in another area. Inevitably something goes wrong. I often just want to throw up my hands and give up!

I came across Deuteronomy 30:11–14 recently, a passage I don’t recall ever studying before. It reads, “Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven. . . . Nor is it beyond the sea. . . . No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.” Our self-talk—that is, the messages we give ourselves on a daily basis—is very powerful. If we consistently tell ourselves, “I can’t,” then we won’t. If we reinforce on a daily basis that “I can” and support this mantra with God’s Word, then we will!

Consider This:

• What is your self-talk like? Positive and encouraging? Or negative and defeating?
• If others could hear the messages that are going on inside your head, what would they hear?

Take Action:

Take time today to write out several positive messages to yourself about your strengths and abilities. Read them to yourself five or six times a day—more if possible. The more you reinforce your positive self-talk, the more it will become a habit.