Rick Warren's Daily DevotionalSample

Eliminate Negative Self-Talk Long before psychology came around, God said your thoughts determine your feelings and your feelings determine your actions. If you want to change your life, you've got to control the way you think. You're constantly talking to yourself -- all the time. Your mind is talking to you! You're talking to yourself right now. Research indicates that most people speak at a rate of 150 to 200 words per minute, but the mind can listen to about 500-600 words a minute. That's why you can listen to me and plan today's dinner at the same time. In fact, our internal dialogue - the conversation we have with ourselves - is at a rate of 1,300 words per minute. How? Because our mind sees in pictures, and you can see a thought in a nano-second! The problem is a lot of us are like Job, who says, "Everything I say seems to condemn me." (Job 9:20 GN) He's saying, in effect, "Everything I say puts me down." If you are typical of the human race, you are your own worst critic. How do you eliminate negative self-talk so you can become a more confident person? The Bible teaches the principle of replacement: "Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right Think about all you can thank God for and be glad about." (Philippians 4:8 TLB) In other words, don't think about all those weaknesses in your life. Focus on who God wants you to be and on what God wants to do in your life.