TALKING TO YOUR SOUL

PSALMS 42:11 NKJ 
11 Why are you cast down, O my soul? 
And why are you disquieted within me? 
Hope in God; 
For I shall yet praise Him, 
The help of my countenance and my God. 

One of the standard rules of life, albeit unwritten, was don't talk to yourself.  Then bluetooth headphones and car connectors came about, so you can be in your car talking away, and no one notices.   

But is it okay to talk to yourself?  David seemed to think so.  And if there is one guy in the Old Testament who won a lot of victories, it was David. 

Here David is talking to his soul.  His emotions and feelings, and thoughts were not good at this point of his life.  His soul was down and disquieted.  The word disquieted means disturbed, sad, troubled.  David is obviously not a good place.   

But an important characteristic of David that we see in the scriptures is his ability to adjust, to pivot.  David would get down, but he would not stay down.   

So, he talked to his soul.  Soul, you are going to hope, confidently expect, in God.  Soul, you are going to praise God.  Because God is the help of my countenance and my God.  The help of my countenance could actually read the salvation, help, deliverance, victory, and prosperity of my whole being and attitude.  And You are my God, the biggest, most powerful, most worthy person of honor in my life.   

David served a big God who was alive and active in his life.  So, David had a solid reason to expect something good.  David would praise the One who gave him salvation, help, deliverance, victory, and prosperity.  Just thinking this way is a first step out of the emotional doldrums.   

APPLICATION 

It's okay to talk to yourself as long as you are saying the right things.  Telling yourself to hope and expect in God.  To praise the One who helps you.  To praise the living God who is big and powerful and loving.  So, talk away, especially when you are feeling and thinking low and down and disturbed.   

I like to do things that produce results.  If this kind of talking helped David under the Old Testament, how much more can it help us under the New Testament?  So, let's talk.   

PRAYER 

Show me how to better talk to myself when I am down, Lord.  You taught this to David.  Help me apply this to my life too.