The Power of Words

We are all aware of how powerfully our words can affect other people. Many of us even use them as weapons, particularly in our attacks on the people closest to us, whom our words generally have the most ability to harm.

However, how many of us realize the damage that our words can have on ourselves. How many times have you put yourself down, described your looks, body shape, intelligence, talents and abilities in a derogatory manner? I know I have done it to myself countless times. In fact, during my depression, I did it all the time. No, let me rephrase that, one of the most tell-tale signs that I am sinking back into depression is when I start being less than complimentary about myself! Whether it is done as a "joke" or not, it still has the same affect on how I think about myself.

Would we really do this to ourselves if we realized that not only are we insulting ourselves, but we are insulting God as well! We are saying that His workmanship is not good, that He has made a huge mistake when He made us. What we need to realize is that God doesn't make mistakes! He has made us exactly the way He wants us to be and therefore, in His eyes we are perfect! We are not perfect in the sense that God is perfect, but in the sense that He has created each and everyone of us for a purpose – His purpose. He has designed each one of us uniquely and individually with our own specific talents and abilities and intelligence, exactly the way He wants us to be, and what we need to understand is that HE LOVES US!! Totally.

Perhaps if we started to see ourselves through God's eyes, as His beloved and unique creation, we would stop worrying about the "details" of looks etc., and instead try and focus on living our lives the way He wants us to and thereby fulfilling our destiny that He has planned for us. If we do this, we will be amazed at the fullness of life that we will have.

Words have a habit of being self-fulfilling. What we say about ourselves will eventually become "true" because we will, through self-hatred, destroy our trust in our abilities to achieve anything. By thinking we are "worthless" we will eventually lead worthless lives. Never attempting anything, never reaching our potential or using the gifts and talents that God has given us.

We need to stop those negative tapes playing in our heads and coming out of our mouths and instead realize that the Creator of the Universe knows exactly how many hairs we have on our heads. And if He is aware of such a mundane and irrelevant detail, how much more concerned is He with the details of our lives!