Self-Talk: Constructive Criticism

Posted on May 9, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

I’m a writer, and I’m part of a critique group. We read each other’s work and comment on what’s good and what could be improved. We share constructive criticism — we’re all better writers for it.

My self-talk is apt to be more complaint than critique, more pity-party than constructive criticism.

The Bible reminds us to critique ourselves.

2 Corinthians 13:5 (NASB)
Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you.

Self-critique: Can others see Christ in me? Do I see Christ in me?

 


Good morning, Lord. I would rather aimlessly complain than sincerely examine myself. Teach me to take time daily to review what I’ve said and done, to take note of what went well and what fell short. Holy Spirit, keep me honest as I look for what pleased You and what did not. Help me skip the excuses and learn from my mistakes. 

Lord, I am Your ambassador in this world. Show me how to do it well.

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Self-Talk: What I [Don’t] Deserve

Posted on May 8, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

I’m shopping, and I find something I like. “I deserve it,” I tell myself, “because I’ve been …” (good, sick, overwhelmed–any reason will do).

Something bad happens. “I don’t deserve this!” I wail.


Do you know what I really don’t deserve? Grace. 

Ephesians 2:8 (NLT)
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 

God deserves all the credit. It’s His plan, His gift. Thanks be to God.

 


Good morning, Lord. Forgive me for taking grace for granted. You pour blessing upon blessing on me, and I barely notice. Sometimes, I even take all the credit myself, thinking I’ve somehow earned it, that I deserve the goodness You send my way. That old hymn gets it right: “Oh, to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be!” (Robert Robinson, 1758).

Thank You, O God, for grace. Thank You for my salvation. Thank You for blessings, more than I can ask, think or count.

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Self-Talk: Good Enough

Posted on May 7, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


The things I say to myself — oh, how I waffle!

Sometimes I tell myself I’m too good for a task. Other times, I think I’m not good enough. I waffle between pride and doubt.


What does God say?

Romans 12:3b (NIV)
Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment.

Philippians 4:13 
I can do all this through him [Christ] who gives me strength.

Sober judgment and strength. Need I say more?

 


Good morning, Lord. Every word I tell myself, You hear too. You listen to the whispers saying I’m better than someone else. You know when I compare myself to others and think I don’t measure up. My excuses don’t escape Your attention. My angry speeches fall on Your ears as well as mine. When I think no one notices, You are watching.

Remind me that You’re tuned into my every word. Teach me to include You in the conversation. Turn my self-talk into prayer.

 

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What Say You? (to Yourself)

Posted on May 6, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


Talk to myself? You bet! Sometimes it’s the best conversation I have all day.

And sometimes it is the worst.

 

I can be my best cheerleader and my worst critic. I can be brutally honest or the biggest liar. My self-talk changes with my mood.

Fortunately, God doesn’t change with my mood.

James 1:17 (NIV)
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Self-talk: shifting shadows.
God’s Word: unchanging … good and perfect.

[Note to self: Listen to God.]

 


Good morning, Lord. You know my moods, when I’m frustrated, when I’m content, when I’m at the end of my patience, when I’m looking for a pity party. You are unchanged by my moods, which is good. You stick with me, even when I’m not in the mood to listen, thank You. You are good to me even when I’m not good to You.

Teach me, O Holy Spirit, to be more like You: to listen, to know the truth when I hear it, and to walk in the way of righteousness.

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Maximize Devotion, Minimize Distraction

Posted on May 3, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


Luke 10:38-40 (NIV)
Martha opened her home to him [Jesus]. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.

Jesus didn’t tell Martha to forget about the meal. He said Mary had chosen better. Martha’s problem wasn’t dinner, it was distraction. Perhaps she could have made her own better choice and managed both — a simpler meal and time spent at the Lord’s feet. 

Less distraction leaves time for more devotion.

 


Good morning, Lord. You know the things that distract me, the tasks on my to-do list, my desire to get it all just right. Teach me to start with time devoted to You — and to finish the same way. Perfection can become a false god, forgive me for my devotion to it instead of You. Show me how less than perfect can be good enough.

Rewrite my to-do list, O God, to fit into Your perfect plan.

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Let Us Pray!

Posted on May 2, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

 

In the US, today is the National Day of Prayer. Wherever you are, take time today to pray for your nation.

 

 


Good morning, Lord. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 33:12). We pray for blessings, and yet we ignore You, O God. Forgive us our greed, our self-centeredness, our arrogance. Humble our hearts, open our eyes, tune our ears. May we seek Your face, thirst for Your Word, honor Your truth and proclaim Your name. 

Teach us to love You first and foremost — heart, soul, mind and strength.

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Maximize the Good, Minimize the Harm

Posted on May 1, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

We read this about the wife of noble character:

Proverbs 31:12 (NLT)
She brings him good,
not harm,
all the days of her life.


Maximize the good, minimize the harm … in my marriage, my church, my community. It’s a noble goal.

 


Good morning, Lord. You have put me in this place at this time for good reason. I want to leave a trail of more help than harm, more stepping stones than stumbling blocks. Grant me the ability and desire to see the need and offer aid, see the hurt and offer healing, see the fear and offer encouragement.


Teach me to think less about myself and more about others.

 

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Minimize Worries

Posted on April 30, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

My husband in late for dinner. It’s raining, and I worry. I imagine all kinds of horrible things: heavy traffic, a horrible accident, transport to the hospital. By the time he pulls into the driveway, I’m thinking life-support.

My brain needs a minimize button.

2 Corinthians 10:5 (ESV)
We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.

Wild thoughts try to take me captive. Instead, I click minimize and send those thoughts to an unseen corner. I clear the screen in my head to maximize a word from God.

 


Good morning, Lord. I sometimes get stuck in a revolving door of wrong thinking, a rut of panic, a whirl of imagined disaster. Teach me to run to the strong tower of Your Word and take protection under the umbrella of Your wisdom. There, help me breathe deeply of Your grace and strength.


Even when the situation really is dire, O God, I can trust Your plan and Your faithfulness.

 

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Maximize Excellence

Posted on April 29, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

Two little symbols at the top of my screen — a straight line and a square box — I use them all the time. Hit the maximize box and an image fills my screen. Click the minimize line and it disappears.

I need a a box and a line for my brain. 


Philippians 4:8 (NLT)
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Maximize the excellent thoughts. Minimize the rest.

 


Good morning, Lord. I can’t control which thoughts pop into my head, but I can control what I do with them. Forgive me for letting negative ideas take over my mind. Teach me to maximize the excellent and minimize the worthless, to focus on the good and turn away from the bad.


“May the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O my Rock and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).

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The Gift of Intelligence

Posted on April 26, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

Gad gave me the gift of intelligence, along with the free will to do as I want with it.


“Take my intellect and use
every power as thou shalt choose.
Take my will and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine.”
Frances Havergal, 1874
Take My Life and Let It Be


I choose to give it back to Him.

 

Good morning, Lord. Sometimes, when I succeed at a difficult task, I think, “How clever I am.” Forgive me for leaving You out of the equation, for You have given me the ability. Thank You for the way my mind, voice, hands and feet work together.  Thank You for eyes to see, ears to hear and the intellect to understand.


“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). I owe all that I am to You, O God. May all I think, do and say honor You.

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