Angel and I are thrilled that Trading Faces: Removing the Masks that Hide Your God-Given Identity releases on October 17. We would love your prayers that God would use this book for his good purposes in the lives of those who read it.
Below is an excerpt from Trading Faces that considers the question regarding whether there is a role for self-talk in the Christian’s life. We hope you find it helpful.
Modern science has confirmed the power of replacing negative self- talk with positive affirmations. Studies have shown that the practice of making daily affirmations decreases stress, increases the amount of time exercising, and may even lower the risk for cardio- vascular disease.3
When Angel and I read these studies, we were surprised by the verifiable impact of positive self-affirmations. But we also question the way positive affirmations are taught and used. Our culture tells us to replace negative self-talk with affirmations based not in our identities in Christ but in our aspirations.
Secular therapists and coaches help clients identify negative self-talk. You might identify with some of those thoughts:
“I’m so ugly.”
“I’ll always be fat.”
“I’ll never get a promotion.”
“I hate myself.”
“I’m such a loser.”
“This is going to fail.”
“Everyone leaves me out.”
“No one thinks I can do this.”
“I am the problem.”
“I am dirty.”
According to these therapists and coaches, the next step is to re-place this harmful self-talk with positive statements. Those statements might look like the following:
“I am beautiful.”
“I enjoy exercising.”
“I will create opportunities for myself.”
“I love who I am.”
“I am successful.”
“I love defying the odds.”
“I am valued.”
“I believe in myself.”
Cruise down the self-help aisle in Barnes & Noble, and you’ll be sure to find a title promising you that your life will be changed by actualizing your effervescent, perfectly capable self.
Does that make anyone else uncomfortable? Angel and I are allergic to this model of positive self-talk. Why? Because it is not grounded in our identity in Christ but rather in the shifting sand of our own thoughts and beliefs. We can say “I love who I am” a million times in a mirror, but if it’s rooted in our self-belief, the first time we see something about ourselves we want to change, we’ll topple. And what happens when real gusts of hardship come? What happens when life inevitably proves we are not the masters of our lives, in control of all circumstances?
And yet, while the secular therapists who have researched and promoted self-affirmation have built their practice on too weak a foundation, their methods are worth considering. Not only does science support positive thinking, but Scripture also asks us to affirm our identities. It is no accident that the New Testament writers make direct statements of truth about themselves and their readers. It is not enough for the truths of our identities in Christ to be passively received, like a child might memorize a list of United States presidents or states to simply say they know who they are or where they are located. Is naming them enough? It isn’t what we know; it is what we do with what we know. Therein lies the power. Affirmations have purpose. If God’s voice of truth in his Word speaks a truth about us, then we are invited to speak it over ourselves.
In fact, God encourages us to speak his truths over ourselves. Paul likens this to putting on a new article of clothing: Christ himself (Rom. 13:14, Gal. 3:27). When we put on our “new self” (Col. 3:10), we put on the likeness of Christ and his virtues, and we take off the “old self” (Col. 3:9). But we don’t just put on Christ; we are also to put away the falsehoods (Eph. 4:25) that the Enemy has taught us to repeat.
Far too many Christians have let the Enemy have a foothold in their lives under the deception that negative self-talk is somehow godlier. When we speak poorly about ourselves, we can feel like we’re being humble. It is true that we are sinners in desperate need of a Savior. It is true that secular positive affirmations are vacuous if they are built on our personal ability to make them come to pass. But when we open the Bible, we see a very different picture of self-talk than our culture provides.
Consider how replete the Bible is with statements of profound worth. Echoing God’s Word, we can say with confidence:
“I am wonderfully made.”
“I am adopted by the perfect Father.”
“I am beloved.”
“I am a conqueror.”
“I am God’s friend.”
“I am protected.”
“I am pure.”
“I am a saint.”
“I am God’s treasure.”
“I am gifted.”
“We are God’s beautiful bride.”
“We are the light of the world.”
“We are unified.”
“We are his temple.”
“He will complete his good work through me.”
It is a good thing to start and finish our day with these statements of biblical affirmation. If we trust in the words of Scripture, then believing these statements and letting them form our hearts and shape our self-talk will grow us into the likeness of Christ in a powerful way. If the King of Kings and Lord of Lords calls us valuable, then we can absolutely believe and say we are valuable. Biblical affirmations make much of God’s voice over us. As we navigate forward, we pray that you hear more of your Master’s voice and less of the false voices we all naturally tend to amplify.
If you would like to take the Trading Faces Quiz to find out which identity you are drawn toward, please visit Trading Faces Identity Quiz.
Trading Faces: Removing the Masks that Hide Your God-Given Identity releases on October 17. If you would like to pre-order a copy, you can click on the photo of the book cover to the left to purchase.
Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash