As you read these words, there’s a fairly solid chance that not only are you seeing them but you’re also hearing them. Studies have shown that the muscles of your mouth, tongue and larynx are activated, even when you read silently.1 Your brain is essentially still sounding out the words internally in order to decode their meaning. Scientists call this subvocalisation. You’re not speaking out loud, but your brain is rehearsing the words as you read.
Because my degree — fun fact incoming — was in British Sign Language, I read articles informing me of such scientific delights and then instantly need to discover if this is true for those born deaf (with a signed language as their first language) also. Turns out, that essentially, yes. Regardless of whatever our language is, we are frequently rehearsing words (or signs).
Scripture implores us to let the Word dwell in us (Colossians 3:16), to meditate on it day and night (Psalm 1:2), to keep it on our lips and in our hearts (Joshua 1:8). None of those commands are about information alone. They’re about repetition. About returning. About allowing God’s words to fill our minds and become our inner language.
Every one of us is constantly rehearsing something:
Maybe it’s an old criticism.
A disappointment.
A fear about the future.
A lie you’ve believed for years.
We know that our minds naturally return to familiar pathways. That’s true neurologically, and it’s true spiritually. The thoughts we revisit become the thoughts we recognise most easily.
Which is why “again” matters.
Every time you return to God’s Word, you’re giving your heart a better script.
Every time you choose truth over fear, gratitude over grumbling, hope over despair, you’re rehearsing a different reality. And little by little, God’s voice will become more familiar than the voices that once shaped you. Yay!
Friend, without even realising it, we are already rehearsing words all day long. Jesus’ invitation isn’t to stop rehearsing . . . it’s to keep returning to His words, until they become the language our hearts speak most naturally.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Jesus, we don't always notice what we're rehearsing. The old words, the tired fears, the criticism we never asked to keep. We don’t want them to play uninvited on loops in our minds. So today we ask You to interrupt the pattern. May Your words become the ones our minds reach for first, not because we've mastered some spiritual discipline, but because we keep coming back to You — again, and again. Amen.
Let’s get intentional about noticing what's on repeat today. And if you catch something that doesn’t align with God’s truth, don’t fret, just reach for His Word . . . again.
Cheering you on,
Em 💛
Hold onto your hats people, the tables have turned and this week I was on Jonathon M. Seidl’s podcast! We recorded it a while ago and — not gonna lie — I can’t remember if I said anything I might regret! Jon informs me it’s all good. Perhaps you’d like to take a listen yourself, AND, we have a joint offer running until the end of Sunday whereby you can get 30% off either of our Substack subscriptions (because we’re good like that).
Check out the episode with Jon: When God Seems Silent: Em Tyler on Hearing His Voice and Discerning the Holy Spirit. Praying it blesses you! And here are the discount codes:
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