The Commandment to Love Series: Self Criticism and Negative self talk.

THE COMMANDMENT TO LOVE SERIES:

Self-Criticism and Negative self-talk.

My commandment to love series over the next 10-12 weeks focuses on how I can love myself in a practical manner this week.

Jesus' commandment to love reads as follows:

And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself." [Luke 10:27]

or in Matthew 19:19: Honour your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbour as yourself." 

In this series I will focus on one idea that we can use in whatever it suits to accomplish a more rounded version of ' as yourself'.  I hope you will journey with me in this series.

So, my second intention for feeling good about myself this week is as follows:

 This week I will withhold any self-criticisms or negative self-talk.

How will make my intention tangible?  There are endless ways just as we are all unique.

However, as a starting point, I will first 

·                     spend some time in prayerful reflection on what triggers self-criticism and negative self-talk in my life. 

·                     Re-read my 'positive list about me' each day in my prayer time and add at least one extra positive each day.

·                     Counter attack any self-criticism and negative self-talk with positive input from my list.

·                     write down any negative talk that emerges during the week to help identify any patterns and underlying cause.

Why do I want to do this?  I want to make progress with this second intention because: I want to keep the commandment to love more fully. Practicing this commandment means that I love myself as God loves me. Accepting self-criticism and negative self-talk without analysis is not accepting the truth about myself.  Yes, I make mistakes, I sin and I am human. Learning the balance and the art of the constructive and truthful criticism of myself is healthy, but continual self-criticism and negative self-talk is not. 

Self-criticism and negative self-talk is like a radio or being placed on hold on the telephone.  They can drown out our own thoughts and do not give Jesus a chance to speak to me. in the quietness of my heart.  Many people allow the noise and the distraction to continue because they fear the quietness of their conscience.  

Join me this week in turning down the volume and switch the negative self-talk radio off completely.  

Let us keep the commandment to love 'as yourself’ so that we can hear Jesus speak the truth in our hearts. We can always rely on Jesus to tell us the truth and we no longer have to believe the lies that we tell ourselves.