It’s All In The Meaning

“When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.” Psalm 94:19 NIV

 

 

My friend and I had a good laugh the other day.

 

The topic? How our brain is constantly holding conversations with itself.

 

For me, it’s a committee meeting going on in there, ALWAYS!    A committee of one, but a very vocal, one!

 

 

 

 

My brain meetings aren’t simple. I use Powerpoints, Spreadsheets, Piecharts–you name it–the sessions take on a life of their own. Trust me, you don’t want to be in this boardroom, it’s exhausting!

 

Don’t worry, I’m not splitting into a hundred personalities (at least for now) but when a topic comes up, a self-voice meeting is instantly called.

 

And those self-voices really get going when there are insults to hurl. Not at others—but at myself. That’s where the committee gets the loudest.

 

Anyone else have similar meetings? (Oh please, please I hope so.)

 

I know my one friend does. Hers spilled out, revealing a litany of self-loathing. And we compared notes–easily!

 

The topic was formed. We spoke of our  committees taking over with the agenda always being: Degrading Yourself 101.

 

And as I drove home, God placed one simple word in the mush of my brain.

 

Content

 

Now let me ask you, which way did you just say that word to yourself?

 

Was it pronounced with an on or with a un in the first syllable?

 

Was it pronounced defining information,

…or was it pronounced defining satisfaction?

 

One word. One gathering of letters, perceived differently, dramatically changes the meaning.

 

Isn’t that how it goes with the voices in our heads?

 

It’s all about how the perception happens; which way the meaning will be taken. Do we fill ourselves with empty content, or with words of contentment?

 

May I say I’m there with some of you, those being honest at least, whom at times move into the hurling of loathing barbs when your personal nemesis rears its ugly head?

Like when my jeans from last year don’t want to button up:

“I’m such a fatty. I’m such a quitter. I’m worthless, I can’t even lose weight!”

When I’m not on my game:

“Geez, you’re really bad. If you had it together you’d be a much better person.”

When things go wrong:

“My life stinks. Nothing good happens to me.”

The list goes on.

The committee spends hours making those statements to be true.  Content.

 

But God tells us to change that content.

 

“His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Phillipians 4:7 NIV

 

What if every morning we awake asking, “Jesus send me your Peace.”

What if when the committee starts, we say, “Jesus, I’m yours. I will live in You, period.”

 

If He is the content, then we’ll be content.

 

We can move from Degrading Yourself 101, to graduates of Defending Yourself 101.

 

The voices change from “What a slob” to “Ok, I need to start another diet.”

The voices change from “I can’t do anything” to “I’ll learn something new.”

The voices change from “All is miserable” to “I’ll take it one minute at a time.”

The voices change from “I’m a loser” to “I am His daughter.”

 

Voices are good.

God gave them to us.

They keep us in check.

They’re the reminders that sometimes say; “eat more salads, less waffle cones”—nothing wrong with that.

 

I’m the first to admit it’s not going to be easy. I’ll be the first to admit I’ll backslide. But I know something absolutely true:

“Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you.” Isaiah 41:10 NIV

 

What if we plastered that in our brains?

 

Then one word would be the focus—content.

 

Which way will you use it?

 

Will God be your source for either definition?

 

Will He be your satisfaction?

 

The committee of self-voices will be there forever; this we know.  But we must see one important word used does in fact matter.  It’s all in the meaning.

 

I’ve come to realize–

Loathing is from Lucifer…Lifting is from our Lord.

 

That’s all the agenda we need to know.