The Wholehearted Love You’ve Always WantedSample

Choosing God’s Truth over Lies

Have you ever put the lights on a Christmas tree? It can be tricky. Of course, the first time you use the lights, they work perfectly. But if you reuse your lights the next year, you have to make sure they all still work. If one bulb is burnt out, the rest of the strand often won’t work either.

Tracing back to the source of our toxic thoughts is kind of like finding and replacing the troublesome Christmas light. When you are feeling triggered by a situation—maybe someone calls you a name or yells at you, or you see your ex—and you find yourself coping to get through it, you can trace your feelings back to the source and replace your toxic thoughts with truth.

To do that, it can be helpful to consider what you would tell your best friend in the same situation. How would you encourage them? When you realize that you can say the same things to yourself, it allows you to get unstuck. You can emotionally connect to yourself so that you can start speaking that truth over your concerns.

Below is a list of common toxic thoughts you may experience about yourself—and the truth from God’s Word that you can replace them with.

I am not good enough vs. I have been chosen by God (Ephesians 1:4)

I’m unloved vs. I am loved by God (Romans 8:35-39)

I’m unworthy vs. Jesus loves me like God loves Him (John 15:9)

I’m worthless vs. I am valuable to God (Matthew 6:26)

I’m alone vs. I am never alone (Deuteronomy 31:8)

I’m a failure vs. I am strengthened for all tasks to which God calls me (Philippians 4:13)

I have no purpose in life vs. I have a purpose (Jeremiah 29:11)

I am unsafe vs. I have been rescued (Colossians 1:13)

Others are better than me vs. I have value too (Mark 12:30-31)

I’m ugly vs. I am wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14)

I’m not gifted vs. I have unique gifts (Romans 12:6-21)

I’m unlovable vs. I am called by God (Romans 8:28, 30)

I’m an object vs. I am God’s handiwork (Ephesians 2:10)

I’m an embarrassment vs. I am set apart for good things (Jeremiah 1:5)

My voice doesn’t matter vs. When I speak, God is with me (Acts 18:9-10)

My past defines me vs. I am a new creation, and I am not condemned (Galatians 2:20; Romans 8:1)

I won’t have enough vs. God will meet my needs (Philippians 4:19)

I am weak vs. I am strengthened for all tasks to which God calls me (Philippians 4:13)

My body should be used and abused vs. My body is where the Holy Spirit abides (John 14:16; 1 Corinthians 6:19)

Jesus wants to meet you in your deepest areas of pain and speak a new identity over each and every toxic thought. Will you let Him?