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by Gail Rodgers
Do you ever have words spill out of your mouth and wonder, "Where did that come from?" Sometimes we surprise ourselves with wit or wisdom. But often we also surprise ourselves with quick retorts, cutting words of sarcasm, criticism or anger. We all know that nagging feeling in our souls thinking, "I shouldn't have said that', or "Why did I say that?" Yet sometimes we feel justified in having spilled out our reaction feeling like the other party really deserved the cutting edge of our words or better yet, we deserved to say them!
Words have tremendous power in them. Words can bring life or death as they pour from our lips. If we were asked to recall some words that hurt us, most of us would not have to think long to bring up some wound in our heart inflicted by someone's words. The same is true of good things spoken. A sincere compliment warms the heart many times over.
In learning the ways of Jesus we discover the Bible has some significant things to say about our words. Listen: "Reckless words pierce like a sword but the tongue of the wise brings healing" Proverbs 12:18 and "The tongue has the power of life and death" Proverbs 18:21.
We don't have to live long to experience the truth of those verses. A parent or a teacher can inspire greatness in a child by life words. Life words carry people. Careless words can speak death to dreams or self-esteem, intentionally or unintentionally. Negative words drag people and situations down.
So how can we, as followers of Jesus, be the ones who speak life words when all too often we find ourselves spilling out something that we regret?
The answer is in tending to what is in our heart. The Bible says, "Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks" Luke 6:45. It's all in the process of letting the Holy Spirit help us take charge of our thoughts so that the right attitudes develop in our heart and "life words" spill out of our mouths.
Listen to yourself today. Your words will tell you what you are entertaining in your mind that is making a trail to your heart and spilling out from there.
Here is a suggested prayer through which you can ask the Holy Spirit today to help you mind your mind!
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for nudging my heart today about the words that I speak. I truly want my words to be “life words”, yet so often they are not. I need Your Holy Spirit to help me take charge of my thoughts so that the right attitudes develop in my heart. Make me aware of building up those around me with my words. Guard my lips from the negative and the critical. Fill me with the Holy Spirit as You commanded me to be filled, and as You promised in Your Word that You would do if I asked in faith. Thank you that You are my helper. I offer my words to You today to be an instrument of Your peace in my home.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
If you prayed this prayer, we would love to hear about it! We will e-mail you some information to help you grow, and respond personally to your questions.
~ Gail Rodgers draws from her own life experience in her roles as wife, mother of three, business woman and as a pastor to women. She is a regular contributor to our daily devotions. To receive them click here.
