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Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up (Ephesians 4:29, ESV).
We become what we talk about.
My profession as a pastor for over 50 years means that I’ve talked to a lot of people. Through the years, I’ve noticed that people become what they talk about.
In a sense, we become our talk.
When I hear someone celebrate the wonder of life, I know they have a healthy outlook. When I hear a person focus on the negative, invariably, they are depressed and discouraged.
Talk becomes an addicting spiral – either upward in praise or downward to the depths of discouragement.
Focusing our thoughts and conversations on frustration wires our souls to see a dark side in everything. When we determine to be grateful in all things, the Spirit of God lifts our emotions from valleys of darkness.
And we decide which direction – joy or despair.
In a sense, we vote each day whether we will be positive or negative about life by how we talk.
I don’t want to over-complicate the topic today.
Let’s review — we become what we talk about. Our habits become habitually rooted in our positive or negative emotions.
Remember this formula: Events + Emotions + Talk = Habits.
To change our outlook, we can’t change past events. Trying to change our emotions is like holding water in our hands, but we can determine how we talk. The Bible teaches that our talk and what we celebrate work backward to heal our emotions and overcome the past!
Habitual praise changes emotions by healing the past.
Psalm 111:1 correctly encourages us . . .
Praise the Lord! I will thank the Lord with all my heart as I meet with his godly people (NLT).
And Psalm 63:3 . . .
God, because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you (ESV).
Let’s remember that we become our talk!