Quiet conversations

Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits.— Psalm 103:2

Do you ever talk to yourself? Sometimes when I’m working on a project — usually under the hood of a car — I find it helpful to think aloud, working through my options on the best way to make the repair. If someone catches me in my “conversation” it can be a little embarrassing – even though talking to ourselves is something most of us do every day.

The psalmists often talked to themselves in the Psalms. The author of Psalm 116 is no exception. In verse 7 he writes, “Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.” Reminding himself of God’s kindness and faithfulness in the past is a practical comfort and help to him in the present. We see “conversations” like this frequently in the Psalms. In Psalm 103:1 David tells himself, “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.” And in Psalm 62:5 he affirms, “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.”

It’s good to remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness and the hope we have in Him. We can follow the example of the psalmist and spend some time naming the many ways God has been good to us. As we do, we’ll be encouraged. The same God who has been faithful in the past will continue His love for us in the future. — James Banks

Dear Lord, please help me to stay in touch with Your heart today by reminding myself of Your faithfulness and love.

Read: Psalm 116:5-9

Reminding ourselves about God’s goodness can keep us filled with His peace.

Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 42-44 and 1 John 1