30 Days of Encouragement - Day 7

I wonder if we realize just how impactful our words are! Nothing we say is random!

Every word you and I speak takes us in one direction or another. Positive words steer us in one direction, and negative words steer us in a different direction.

It is staggering to realize that the things that I say about myself, my situation, my abilities all guide me toward whatever it is that I have said.

There was a comedian who told jokes about her being fat. In one joke she says, "I am so fat that even my eyeballs are."

A few years after consistently telling that joke, she noticed some yellow spots beginning to form on her eyes. The optometrist said the yellow spots were fat deposits.

Now, maybe she would have developed those deposits over time because of her eating habits. I don't know.

What I do know is she said her eyes were fat, and fat eyes are what she got.

We know that this information is not ground-breaking. We learned that our words are important.

But are we paying attention? Do we take it to heart?

6 Things The Bible tells us:

1. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks- [Luke 6:45]
2. By your words, you shall be justified, by your words you shall be condemned - [Matthew 12:36-37]
3. Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and you will bear the consequences of your words.- [Proverbs 18:21 (paraphrased)]
4. Set a guard over my mouth, Lord keep watch over the door of my lips.- [Psalm 141:3]
5. But I tell you, on the judgment people will have to give an accounting for every careless or useless word they speak
   [Matthew 12:36]
6. Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, " How long will this wicked nation complain about me? For I have heard all that they have been saying. tell them, 'The Lord vows to do to you what you have feared (spoken in my ears)- [Numbers 18:27-28]

Take an inventory of your life. What are you saying?

Do you see the things the good things you've been saying? Or, are you living with the things you have been complaining about around you?

Why is it Hard to Keep Our Words in line? -

Well, to begin with, we must grasp that what we believe in our hearts is what flows out of our mouths.

If our hearts are discouraged, our words will be discouraging.

If you want to know what is in your heart, just listen to what you are saying.

God created us with the ability to self-correct. He gave us His Word and His standards. We are supposed to examine ourselves according to what He says is true.

When we say something negative, the majority of the time we will counter it by lying. We say, "Aw, I was just playing," or "I don't mean it like that..."

What is the Difference?

Somebody tell me how re-wording a statement removes the truth from that statement?

Saying, "Oh, my feet are hot and sweaty," holds the same truth as saying, "Wow! My feet stink!"

Softer words may take the sting out of the truth, but the truth remains the truth.

Everybody is guilty! All of us are casual about our words.

If we know and believe that the words we speak impact our present and our future, doesn't it make good sense to pay attention to what we say?

More of a Heart Issue

The thing is, we are not always conscious of what we say. We simply open our mouths and speak. We take no thought.

And, the things that we believe flow straight out of our hearts.

They pass through our head only so we can give them language.

The issue then is in how we believe.

If I believe that Johnny is awful to others, or that I can't do a task, it's coming out of my mouth. It's going to come out one way or another.

Example Dialogue #1:

"Why do they want me to make the eggs? I don't make eggs well. It seems like I always overcook them, over season them or burn them. I hate making eggs."

You hate the task, and experience with it makes you believe that you are not good at doing it. Your experience tells you that you cannot be good at doing it. Unless you step in, your heart will believe your experience.

So, what happens to those eggs? You mess them up. That confirms you believe so you keep on speaking it.

It is circular... you have an experience, you accept the experience as final. You believe the outcome of the experience in your heart, you begin to speak it.

The more you speak it, the more you believe it. The more you believe it, the more you speak it.

You and I are making mountains where there should be flat land. We continue to justify our consequences and make altars to them.

These are the altars where we sacrifice our souls and potential.

Example Dialogue #2:

"Well, Betty, you know I can't do that. I tried it before, and I failed miserably. I didn't do well at all. That means that I am no good at it."

Really???!!

Since we all do this, we all need the solution...

We need to put the Word of God in our hearts with diligence.

1. What does God say about living?
2. Who does God say we are in Him?
3. What does God say we can do through Him?
4. How does God say we should respond?
5. How does God tell us to fight?

When we put Word of God in our hearts, we will believe it. When we believe it, we take it as our final authority.

When we take God's Word as our final authority, our lives will no longer be boring. We will have the victory we speak because we believe that victory is ours.

Our actions and decision will follow our words!

Purpose in your heart to choose your words carefully because your words frame your world. We speak what we believe so let us be conscious of what we believe.

There is an old saying, "Think twice, but speak once." I purpose to practice this today - I hope you do too.

Be Blessed [Matthew 12:36-37]