As a communicator, it took me years to understand that there is no such thing as a monologue. Everything involves dialogue. Anyone who ever delivers any kind of speech would do well to remember this. All public discourse involves the listener engaging in a silent conversation. Yes, they might be hearing a speaker’s words – but there’s a second voice at work too, one that is far more powerful. It’s the voice in their mind. That’s why two people can hear exactly the same talk yet glean completely different messages from it, as if they’ve not even been in the same room. The chatter of ‘self talk’ is far more life impacting than any other conversation we will ever engage in. This conversation is constant in our minds, yet subconscious for the most part.
Interestingly, whilst the average person can verbally communicate 300 words per minute, self talk is estimated to be four times faster at around 1200 words per minute. So that voice in your head is profound, and it REALLY matters. Question is, is the silent conversation healthy?
The thing about self talk is that it is filtered by HOW we think. This has been heavily influenced by our experiences, upbringing, personal bias and environment. If the mind filter is faulty, then the thought process that flows through it becomes flawed. Problem is….most people assume their thought filter is perfectly ‘normal’. But if we’re honest, it’s not.
This is why the Bible has much to say about the ‘renewing’ of the mind. All of us face challenges in our thinking because we are all broken in some way. Let’s face it, nobody is perfect. When our thinking is flawed, this tends to feed unhealthy thought patterns such as paranoia, insecurity and false comparisons. However, Romans 12:2 gives us some invaluable advice. It says ‘Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your MIND. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.’ In other words, it’s time to challenge the lies of stinking thinking and dare to believe the truth of God’s word.
One of the most important things you can do is to submit your thought life to God. Be sure it is coming under the influence of His word. Give yourself some thinking space and allow God’s truth to overcome the negativity of your own subjective feelings. He loves you. It’s when you really start to believe this that everything changes and your thinking grows healthier.
