The power of life and death is in the tongue. (Prov. 18:21) Think before you speak. - Joyce Meyer
What wise advice for all of us to live by. Words cannot be taken back and although we may apologize profusely for something hurtful we may have said, the truth is, the damage often times is already done. I can only speak for myself when I say that I know to forgive immediately when someone asks for my forgiveness but it does not mean the hurt, pain or anger is also immediately gone. That is when I rely on the Lord to remove any hardness in my heart and I ask Him to keep my heart pure of any ill will. It will infect your whole being if you hold on to resentment, anger, bitterness, any negative emotion. None of it is of God for He is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) and has said, "blessed are the peacemakers" (Matthew 5:9) therefore keep peace and guard your heart. I know we are not asked to be void of emotion, robotic people walking through this life, but we are called to be images of God and what God can do, man cannot. Therefore when we forgive and watch our tongues and not react in certain situations, we bear an amazing testimony for God. It shows how we can transform ourselves from the old hot head to the calm peaceful voice of reason. I struggle with my words every day. I try to think before I speak and listen more than I speak. It is something I work on each and every day. I have an extraordinary accountability partner that helps me so I am blessed for that. But we are all human. We do not need to criticize one another and point out every little weakness in one another. Instead let our words uplift, encourage, praise, glorify, motivate one another. We can be open and honest and use truthful words but we must do it in a loving and mature way. Don't judge another because they do not think like you, walk like you, believe like you. It is hard to be a believer in Christ, walking without sin each day but we must try to walk in His Spirit, think like Him and ask, "what would Jesus do, say, think in this situation?" It is more than the fad WWJD, it is actually a spiritual barometer that can help many in their walk. So I challenge you today, to ask the Lord to lay on your heart who it is you can encourage today. Maybe there is someone you need to forgive or ask for forgiveness? Maybe there is bitterness in your heart you have yet to let go of and God is asking you to. Search your heart while you seek God. He will lovingly direct you in this path. It is amazing what our words can do.
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29
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