It is crucial to be mindful of the things we tell ourselves on a daily basis. If we hold onto beliefs about our identity that are not true, it becomes challenging to embrace the truths that God reveals about us. However, when we ground our sense of self in God and allow His Spirit to guide our lives, we begin to perceive ourselves in the way that He sees us. This transformative process has the power to change everything.

Here are three ways you can protect your thoughts and affirm God’s truth in your life:

1. Identify the lies you tell yourself.

Your words and actions reveal the stories you tell yourself. To determine if a story is false, ask yourself: Is this thought marked by fear, insecurity, pride, bitterness, or a lack of confidence? Is this thought leading me to cynical or self-serving behaviour? If you can answer “yes” to either of those questions, then the story you’re telling yourself likely needs to be addressed and adjusted.

When you can identify where and when you began believing a lie, it’ll be easier to change the way you think.

2. Shift your perspective.

For every untruth, there exists a truth that can replace it, and these truths can be found in the Bible. Kindly review your list of untruths and ask God to reveal His truth to you through His Word. Create mental space for the Holy Spirit to clearly show you how He perceives you.

3. Declare what’s true.

Turn the truths from Scripture into specific, intentional statements you can declare over your life each day. 

Here are some declarations to get you started:

– I am content and fulfilled because I am a child of God (John 1:12-13).
– I am deeply and unconditionally loved (1 John 3:1).
– Nothing can sever the bond of love between me and God (Romans 8:38-39).

As you practice these steps, remember that if God, whose Word is truth, says something about you, it must be true. Therefore, allow His Holy Spirit to transform your thinking. Let His thoughts about you become your thoughts about yourself.