Today let’s talk about self-talk.  In the movie, “The Edge,” a giant, man killing bear chased two men through the wilderness to the point that they were desperate with fear.  In the dark woods the bear snarled and growled while the men made a fire to prevent an attack.  They were alone – so they screamed for only themselves to hear, “We’re going to kill the bear.”  “We’re going to kill the bear.”

A week after watching the movie, with it still fresh in my mind, I was rock-climbing in Utah, impossibly stuck thousands of feet high and 150 feet below my climbing buddy.  The fierce wind howled so loud that no one could hear me scream except me.  So, with all my lungs I cried, “I’m going to kill the bear,” Then I yelled even louder, “I’m going to kill the bear!”

King David was no stranger to self-talk.  In Psalm 62 David was in the middle of an impossible situation, literally surrounded by enemies trying to kill him.  His prayer started by talking to God and later on he talked to himself with the same exact words, “Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.” Psalm 62 1-2 and 5-6

In all three situations we see a common battle raging.  A battle to remind our hearts of the truths that our minds already know.  A battle for the courage to be strong.  A battle against fear.  A battle to do what needs to be done.

Notice that in each case, words were spoken out loud.  Out loud – yet only to ourselves.  When we speak God’s word out loud, we are not only speaking to ourselves, but we are inviting God’s angels into our lives to say God’s word with us, to give us strength.  So far beyond killing the bear or making the climb, God’s word spoken out loud – for ourselves and God to hear – has enormous power.

Then David takes God’s word even one step further, as he consciously decides to “wait quietly before God.”  To wait quietly this time – not to hear ourselves speak – but to be quiet before God to hear what he might say to us!

Yes, there is power in God’s word spoken to ourselves – out-loud.  And yes, there is power of waiting quietly before God.  God’s word can have enormous power in your life – if you let it.   “Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.”