The Nike Company recently developed a new sports watch.  This isn’t your ordinary watch, for it includes a GPS and an extra special feature.  With this watch when you are walking or running, you can access audible messages that provide encouragement.  The promotional material says, “It’s like having your own personal coach right on your wrist!”  The developers of this product are ingenious, for they have tapped into a simple but very important fact:  We all need encouragement along the way.

So what if the audible messages recorded were those you routinely tell yourself?    What if you were your own personal coach?  The truth is, you are!

Many of us have become our biggest critic; we’ve become our own worst enemy.   We’ve been treating ourselves harshly for so long that it has become familiar, and consequently, we fail to realize just how damaging it is.  Can you imagine saying some of the things you say to yourself, to a good friend? Things like:  “You are so stupid;” or “You’ll never amount to anything.”  Of course not!

So what will it take to stop those prerecorded messages you tell yourself?  How can you leave your internal critic behind and begin to embrace the friend inside?

Scripture gives us some clues:  “Take every thought captive unto Christ;” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  The first step in taking a thought captive is to become aware of it.  Next, compare your thoughts to God’s Words.  Are they in alignment or are they in opposition?

God isn’t okay with us beating ourselves up and treating ourselves like worthless junk.  We are His beloved daughters.  Each one is His favorite, and how we take care of ourselves is extremely important to Him.  Maybe it’s time to declutter your thoughts, especially those that cause resistance to the life God has prepared for you.  Begin treating yourself like a good friend.  Notice scripture does not say, “Love your neighbor instead of yourself.”

Learn to extend forgiveness and grace, to yourself.  Cheer for yourself.  Develop messages of kindness, patience and encouragement.  Things like:  “I’ve got what it takes;” and “I am equipped to do anything God calls me to do.”  Put those new messages on “auto replay;” listen to them repeatedly, until they become part of your normal subconscious thoughts.  As the Nike slogan says, “Just Do It!”