Home » Programs » Walking with Jesus » Talk to Yourself

Talk to Yourself

As I stepped from the large downtown business building into the bright sunshine, I became aware of a commotion. Someone was speaking very loudly and using a lot of words not considered appropriate for public discourse. I could see people scurrying along, some crossing the street ahead of the man with the big voice. It wasn’t hard to spot him. He was walking alone having a very animated conversation with himself. He punctuated his words with violent gestures.

Some seemed afraid of him, others disgusted, still others sympathetic as he made his way down the street, clearing a path in front of him and leaving a wake behind. The way he was speaking to himself was most harsh. None of the other people sharing the street wanted to interrupt him, lest his agitation be turned against them. His behaviour certainly did not fall into the normal range.

Talking to yourself is usually seen as a sign of some kind of mental disturbance. It may be short term, tied to an unusual circumstance, or it may be indicative of long-term mental illness. But there’s “talking to yourself” and “talking to yourself.” Some self-talk is highly beneficial. There are numerous examples in the Bible, especially in the Psalms. Psalm 42:5 records these words: “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance.”

Here the unknown psalmist challenges himself about his attitude. While the details of his distress are not clearly laid out, he was obviously passing through some particularly unpleasant trial. Here I see two levels of thinking, something I experience myself from time to time. On one level, he looks at his circumstances and registers that there is great wrong, injustice, persecution and pain. On the second level, he is able to look at both the circumstances and his lower level response. At this level, he observes that while his situation leaves much to be desired, he has failed to bring God into the equation.

So, he exhorts himself. He challenges himself to stop looking at his difficulties and to hope in God. He is sure that God will walk with him through his trial. He knows that ultimately, in this life or the next, he will praise God. In his inner conversation, his higher level of consciousness (the more spiritually sensitive) repeatedly poses questions to the lower level through this psalm and the next. He then provides some guidance to that lower level by pointing toward God.

This ability that God has given us to be conscious of both our circumstances and our response to them is a gift. It is particularly useful to Christians. Sometimes we need to admonish ourselves sharply when we see ourselves responding in sinful ways to our circumstances. Greed may arise when the opportunity to get some “easy money” comes along. Pride asserts itself when we observe others who are less spiritually inclined or rigourous in their discipline. Lust springs up when the possibility of some inappropriate intimacy becomes available. Whining and complaining often take our mental energy hostage in time of difficulty. Self-indulgence and self-justification allow us to take advantage of others without a twinge of conscience - except for this ability God gives us to observe our lives from a higher spiritual level within ourselves.

What a waste of a good gift if we harden ourselves to it! We understand that we have an inclination toward sin. We have the Spirit within us who brings God’s holiness into our lives. We have the ability to discern when we don’t measure up. We have the spiritual resources to live in a way that pleases the Father regardless of the misery in which we find ourselves. Without doubt we will need to talk to ourselves from time to time. Perhaps sharply! And we need to learn to respond to that higher level of consciousness which can call our attention away from the temptation to sin by desiring something other than God to make us feel significant, happy, and fulfilled.

Maybe it’s time to sit down and have a little talk with yourself.

Ron Hughes
© November 2007