Power of the Tongue

    Last week was a rough one. I woke up early Friday after not sleeping well with a headache. I got up and did a few household chores intending to just push through it. I'd feel better in a little while. After a couple of hours I gave up and laid back down. An hour later I was still miserable so I tried a hot bath. Nothing seemed to help, not the bath, ibuprofen or laying back down, again. I tried eating something...mistake. After getting sick I went back to bed and slept for a few hours. Thank You, Jesus, I woke up feeling much better.

    I hate when I feel bad. It makes it hard to stay focused, to think only positive thoughts. When I feel bad it's easier for all the negative thoughts, the worries and cares of this world to take over. Things I know I shouldn't let get to me, get to me. I dwell on thing I know I shouldn't dwell on.

    Worse, it makes me want to say things I shouldn't. I have to bite my tongue. I have to stop myself from saying, replying, commenting or posting those negative and not so nice thoughts. Usually, I am a very positive person. I do pretty good at following the old adage "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." It's not that hard. When I feel good, most of the time I never even have those thoughts.

    Yet when I feel bad, and I'm being bombarded by all the problems and fears, I struggle. I have to remind myself what the Bible says about the tongue: "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]. Proverbs 18:21. And Ephesians 4:29, "Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God's favor) to those who hear it."

    God instructs us to not say anything that does not encourage, lift up or bless others. We are not to say anything that may cause another believer to stumble and fall, or turn away from God. That we have the power with our word to spiritually cause death to others and that we will have to answer for those words. That we should be ever mindful that what we say to others will encourage and help them.

    We are to be careful of the things we say and think. If we only think about, talk about, focus on the negative things, that's all we will ever experience is the bad, troubling things in life. If we want positive and good things in our lives, we should only think, dwell, on positive and good things.

    It's not that we will never have negative things happen to us or life will be full of sunshine and roses. But if we concentrate on the positive, the good, we will begin to find it comes more naturally to us to always see the good in every situation. And the negative things will become less important and not the center of our focus.

    Lord, I thank You for the positive things in my life, for the many blessings I have: family and friends that love and care for me. Help me, please, to always focus on the positive in my life, to always find something to be thankful, grateful for. When I am bombarded by all the negatives, help me to stop, to change my thoughts and focus on the good. Help me, Lord, to only speak life and that which is good. Let me be an encouragement to others, and let the words of my mouth minister grace to all who hear. In Jesus' name, Amen.

~Delta