Do you ever think about your thoughts? And more, do you know how powerful they are? It may sound strange to consider, but our thoughts play a significant role in how we respond to life. They help shape our emotions and actions. They lead and guide us down godly paths or ungodly paths. They can speak the truth to us or falsehood.
We can grow so used to our thoughts, they become like the background noise of a busy household. But when we stop and take notice of them, we learn things about ourselves, about our longings and desires, our beliefs and hopes, our expectations of God, ourselves, and others. We learn what we treasure and what we worship.
Paul Tripp once wrote, “no one is more influential in your life than you are, because no one talks to you more than you do.” I know this is true of my own thought life. I talk to myself all the time. I’m always interpreting and evaluating what happens in my day and keep a running commentary in my mind about it. I frequently point out to myself the failings of my past. I warn and caution myself about potential harms to come in the future. I consider and dwell on other people’s responses to me and justify mine in return. I talk myself into decisions or out of them. I rehearse repeated refrains, those statements I say to myself over and over like, “if only x happened, then your life would be better” or “does anyone care?” All these thoughts influence me, often without me realizing it.
When I do stop to notice my thoughts, I also notice what is missing. In fact, its absence is glaring. In all this talking to myself, how often do I tell myself to consider all that God has done? How often do I influence and urge my heart to praise him?
In a recent reading of Psalm 103, I was struck by how David spoke to himself, urging himself to praise the Lord: “Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name” (v.1.) He exhorts himself to, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (v.2).
What are those benefits he didn’t want to forget?
forgiveness of sins (v.3)
healing from disease (v.3)
redemption of life (v.4)
steadfast love and mercy (v.4)
satisfaction with good, so our youth is renewed like the eagle’s (v.5)
But there’s more! David goes on to remind himself of who God is:
The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed (v.6)
He is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love (v.8)
He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. (v.10)
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him (v.11)
The LORD shows compassion to those who fear him (v.13).
The steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him (v.17).
The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. (v.19)
Any of these benefits are worth considering. Any one of these characteristics of God is worth meditating upon. Any of God’s works and ways is worth dwelling upon. For David, they seem to build one upon the other into this great crescendo of wonder where he bursts out, calling everyone to praise the Lord—including his own soul. “Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!” (v.22).
I was always taught not to interrupt someone when they are speaking because it is rude. But in the case of our own self-talk, it’s often necessary that we interrupt ourselves. Even more, to talk back to ourselves. We need to preach the truth to ourselves. We need to rehearse who God is and what he has done. We need to develop new repeated refrains where we dwell on all his benefits.
We need to set on repeat the words, “Bless the Lord, O my soul!”
