How grounding yourself in Scripture, listening for God’s voice, and noticing your self-talk begin the journey toward inner healing.
We long to live free. Free from the lies and wounds that entangle us. Free to fully engage in what God has prepared for us.
But overcoming the lies we believe doesn’t happen overnight.
Inner healing grows slowly, much like spiritual formation. We start with the basics and build strength over time.
We don’t untangle lies by gritting our teeth and muscling through. Grace carries the day. He brings the healing as we bring ourselves to Him.
This journey begins in three simple places: grounding ourselves in Scripture, noticing our self-talk, and learning to listen for God’s voice.
STEP ONE: Ground Yourself in God’s Word
Before we ask God to speak into our wounds, we anchor ourselves in what He has already revealed.
If you ask me, “Why is Scripture important to you?” I’ll tell you: it’s the book of my faith. It sheds light on how life with God works — revelation and relationship wrapped up in love. Scripture forms the very foundation of spiritual healing and identity in Christ.
Scripture shows us His character — faithful, patient, just, merciful — and reminds us who we are in Christ. Any voice we hear must align with what He has already made known in His Word.
And what does God say about you?
He doesn’t just love us (John 3:16). He loves us lavishly (1 John 3:1).
He knew you before He formed you (Jer. 1:5).
He delights in you (Zeph. 3:17).
He never leaves you or forsakes you (Heb. 13:5).
And the list goes on.
The best way to anchor yourself in God’s Word is simple: read it, listen to it, know it.
If you already have a practice of reading Scripture (what many Christians call a “quiet time”), that’s wonderful.
If not, consider finding a cozy spot where you can meet with God. You can open your physical Bible, or use one of the many free options online like Bible Hub, YouVersion, or The Blue Letter Bible. Any translation that is readable and makes sense to you will work. If you’re new to the Bible, I often recommend the New Living Translation (NLT) or the New International Version (NIV).
If you’d rather start with a devotional, there are plenty of excellent, free options. Online you can find daily reflections from places like First 15, Bible Gateway Devotionals, or Our Daily Bread.
You might want to mark this time as set apart for God and:
• light a candle
• take a few settling breaths
• silence your phone
• put on some gentle instrumental music
• or pray something simple like:
Lord, I’m here to meet with You.
Thank You for always being near.
You can read as much as you like, but it’s also perfectly okay to sit with a short passage, a psalm, or a single devotional. The goal is not to finish pages; it’s to set your heart in God’s truth.
If you’re new to the Bible and want to learn more about the life of Jesus, I often encourage people to start in the book of Mark. It’s fast-paced and gives a clear picture of who He is and what He did. If you’d like more suggestions, just reach out.
STEP TWO: Begin to Listen to Your Self-Talk
Start by noticing the chatter.
Often, our self-talk reveals the lies we’ve come to believe without realizing it.
Take a few minutes at different times throughout your day to notice the internal conversation in your mind — in the morning, while running errands, when you’re with people or alone, when you’re tired or rushed.
Observe without judging.
Just notice. No shaming. Just curiosity.
Pretend you’re listening to a brand-new artist you’ve never heard before.
Pay attention to tone.
Is the chatter positive? Negative? Neutral?
Does it shift depending on whether the focus is on you or someone else?
How does the situation change the tone?
Notice your reactions to mistakes or embarrassment.
What do you say to yourself when you are frustrated?
Listen for repeated words or phrases you have unwittingly stamped on yourself.
Write down anything that repeats.
You might react to an awkward moment by thinking,
“Can’t you just keep your mouth shut?”
You might mutter under your breath, “I’m such an idiot.”
My exasperated squeal is “Seriously?!”
But if it gets to, “Why can’t I get anything right?” I’ll be writing it down.
STEP THREE: Learning to Listen
Learning to listen to the voice of God is the turning point in becoming untangled.
Let me pause and ask you a question I once had to ask myself:
If affirmations work, why don’t they always stick?
I could look in the mirror and repeat,
“I am strong. I am capable. I am enough.”
And yet my heart didn’t believe it.
The same is true of the beautiful things Scripture says about us. Repeating them is not the same as receiving them.
These are truths God has already spoken in His Word. The journey ahead is not about convincing yourself of them, but about bringing your honest heart before Him and asking the Holy Spirit to make them real to you.
Counseling gave me tools and language to understand my story. I’m deeply grateful for it and encourage it whenever it’s available. In those spaces — and outside of them — God surfaced the deepest lies I carried and spoke truth directly to my heart.
When He speaks truth to the lie, the ground shifts. The old agreement loses power.
Grace does the heavy lifting.
If you’d like a copy of the free guide, A Simple, Biblical Rhythm for Listening Prayer, the only way I can send it is through email. You can subscribe below and I’ll make sure it gets to you.
Why Listening Matters
Scripture tells us that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”
If we want to discover what our heart truly believes, we only have to listen to the words that tumble out — the ones we hardly notice.
Recently, I caught myself saying, “At least you aren’t as dumb as you look.”
I don’t consciously think I look dumb. Yet the phrase surfaced more than once. My heart was telling on itself.
It was time to pay attention.
This is how the lies we believe take root.
Somewhere in childhood, or along the way, someone says something — or implies something — or we imagine they did. In that moment, we silently agree. Over time, we agree again and again until the lie feels woven into who we are.
We try to fix it with affirmation, willpower, or prayer. While helpful, none of these can transform the belief itself.
Only God’s voice can do that.
When He speaks truth to the lie, the ground shifts.
He does the heavy lifting. Grace always does.
And Then What?
Stay in this zone and practice.
Learn to be with God — enjoy His presence, enjoy His Word, enjoy His voice.
We have deep work to do, but we aren’t in a hurry.
And we’ll take this journey together, slowly, at the pace grace sets.
