Replacing Negative Inside Chatter with Praise
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Welcome to the last week of our series on stopping negative internal chatter, this week we’re replacing negative inside chatter with praise! We’ve arrived at the last stop in Paul’s to-think list of Phil. 4:8:
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
As if the other items on the list weren’t enough, Paul adds this “little” idea that we are to think on things that are praiseworthy. In my mind, it’s easy to look at this list and think that Paul had an order. First, whatever is true. Then whatever is honorable… and the list goes on chronologically.
Or it may seem like this is our check-off list of criteria. If we think about anything other than this list, then we MUST be sinning. ahem.
But though I have no proof of my philosophy on Paul’s recommended list, I feel like he was saying: “If your thoughts meet any one topic of this list, you’re in good shape. And this last one of praise- icing on the cake!”
Matthew Henry mentions that this word, praise, means as “worthy of commendation.”
When I think about the One who is worthy, the praise swells in my heart and my spirit is lifted. When I praise Jesus, I feel incapable of concentrating on anything else and that praise then carries me through the battle of negative internal chatter.
Praising Jesus overpowers potential negativity!
To close out our series, I thought I would give you a list of some of my favorite praise songs that stop negativity in its tracks. Satan will NOT hang around where Jesus is being praised, so if your desire is to truly stop the negative internal chatter, then I believe praising God is the highest weapon in your arsenal.
The first song in the list tells the story of Paul and Silas deep in the jail cell, bodies broken and in pain, hearts fully in tune with their glorious Savior. If you don’t have time to listen to all the list, just watch the first one today. You’ll be so glad you did! In no particular order, 7 Praise Songs to Shut Down Negative Inside Chatter.
1. I Bless Your Name- Brooklyn Tabernacle
2. I Am Redeemed– Big Daddy Weave
3. The New Doxology – Integrity! Praise
4. If I’m Gonna Praise Him, You’ve Got to Give Me Some Room– Michael O-Brien
5. Revelation Song– Anthony Evans
6. Total Praise – Brooklyn Tabernacle
7. Shackles – Mandisa
Enjoy!
Bloggers, thanks for linking up this Whimsical Wednesday- any encouraging post is great!
And I’d really love to know:
What praise music do you enjoy in order to knock out internal negative chatter?
Week 1: How to Stop Negative Internal Chatter
Week 2: Replacing Negative Internal Chatter with Thoughts of Truth
Week 3: Honorable Thoughts to Replace Negative Inside Chatter
Week 4: Replacing Internal Negative Chatter with Justice
Week 5: Replacing Negative Internal Chatter with Pure Thoughts
Found your blog through Pintrest! Loving these praise lists. Thank you!
Thanks, Amanda!!
Thank you so much for this. I’ve really been struggling with my inner dialogue as of late. Nothing but negativity seems like. It’s so easy to get bogged down and feel hopeless. The 1st song on your list we used to do at my church. I instantly remember it as soon as you mentioned the story of paul and silas and as I hummed it to myself it brought tears to my eyes. God is worthy to be praised no matter how I feel.
Oh Sarah! The second verse of that song slays me every time. Getting wrapped up in our emotions is so easy. Thanks for sharing your praise with us!
Thanks for this post, Rachel. It’s so easy to let the negative internal chatter run in the background without even realizing it. Right now, my go-to songs are “10,000 Reasons” by Matt Redman, “Made Alive” by Citizens, “Remind Me Who I Am” by Jason Gray, and “In Christ Alone.”
The devil must flee at the sound of Jesus’ Name lifted in song! Thanks for the great post & for hosting & God bless!
This is such a great series, Rachel. I hate to see it come to an end! Your encouragement here reminds me of something I read in Lysa TerKeurst’s book, Unglued. She said that she finds comfort in simply saying “Jesus.” So I’ve been doing that lately whenever I feel the stress coming on and, I have to say, it’s so comforting! I think praising Him in song–whether listening to it or singing is another amazing way to “think on these things” and feel His joy. So I’m grateful for the songs you’ve selected and provided for us too. Thanks for hosting and for sharing these important truths for our lives.
You are so onto some things here. One of my favorite books is “Loving God with All Your Mind” by Elizabeth George. So much goes on in our minds. So much of it can be negative. We must go on the offense and put in the good stuff. Thanks for this great post and your link-up.
Praise and worship is so important to our relationship with God. With that said I have so many favorite songs but two new songs that I am loving are Mandisa’s Overcomer and Natalie Grant’s Hurricane. Both songs speak to me and encourage me in my daily journey. Thank you for your list of songs some of which are new to me. I love adding new songs to my library. Blessings!
The challenge to praise even in the darker times is so important – it totally changes perspective and forces focus on God. As for music, one CD that always speaks to my soul is You Deliver Me by Selah. Awesome, refreshing, honest, it always helps me. This has been a really insightful series- thank you. Informative and challenging, its definitely given my food for thought
thank you for the songs. loved the obriens testimony! and big daddy weave is soooo good. praise the Lord!
Thanks, Julie- blessings to you!!