Biting your tongue

I don’t know about you but I didn’t earn the nickname “Chatty Cathy” for no reason.  Have you ever noticed your greatest strength is also your greatest weakness at times ? This bugs me. A lot. I tend to be kinda bold at times, therefore, I can tend to be kinda direct which isn’t always good. I like to communicate and sort through things by talking them out. It helps me to make sense of life.

Sometimes, things come across to me like Captain Obvious so I say them.  Now, I’m not tacky but I usually say something. After all, dead air is no fun and it can be awkward at times. Big revelation for me… it is ok to just be quiet.

Simon Peter

Always saying something isn’t what I recommend, it’s kind of a quality Peter possessed. Remember, when Peter during a really reverent moment thought it was a great time to insert his “idea” about building 3 tabernacles?  One for The Lord, Moses and Elijah. Peter often opened his mouth and inserted his foot, yet God would work with him. His stuff would only remind us that our “stuff” isn’t too much for God to handle either…. Remember when Peter cut off the soldier’s ear?  He addressed something in the flesh through his anger. A little impulsive you might say.  Yeah, Jesus rebuked Peter and healed the man’s ear.  We all have different stuff huh?  Haven’t we all had those knee jerk reactions that we wish we could have a do-over on?

James 1:19-20
So then my beloved brethren let every man be swift to hear slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

I came across this scripture one day and knew The Lord wanted me to memorize it. I knew for sure I would need the help of this word to carry me through some trials to the other side.  I tended to call a spade a spade.  Oh brother, let the fun begin were my thoughts after reading and re-reading this scripture.   After all, when something is tough I need to re-read it to double check if it really said that.   Aaaggh.. yes, it did say that slow to speak thing.

Slow to speak? I definitely would have to bite my tongue trusting God to defend me and deliver me.  Yikes.. on a regular basis I can be quick to speak and slow to listen.

Slow to wrath? You mean you don’t need my services as the bull in a china shop today? God can do bad all by himself, he doesn’t need me to help. Except, His bad looks nothing like mine.

The wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Only God can vindicate me, not my anger or telling them how wrong they are.

When you are at the place of bridling your tongue instead of biting your tongue maturity is happening.

Moses

Look at Moses. God wanted to use him to” bring others out” but Moses decided to “take a guy out”. Moses took a guy out and buried him in the sand for mistreating another person. God wanted to use him to deliver people but Moses got in the flesh. His anger got the best of him watching this injustice. He needed to do it God’s way in the spirit not his way in the flesh.

It really is about self-control. Trusting God, yielding to His way, to his word. Choosing our words and responses wisely. Learning to be sensitive to the leading of The Holy Spirit and listening to him.

The control of self is the inward discipline that ultimately affects outward circumstances. The still small voice of the Holy Spirit will lead you, still you, restrain you and release you.

It is through discerning and attuning your ear to his voice that you know what it is that He is leading you to do.  What it is He is leading you to say or not say.

Practical Bible Verses on the Tongue

Proverbs 25:11
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver

Sometimes, you might have the right thing to say but say it at the wrong time. Ask God for wisdom and for the Holy Spirit to lead you. When you say the right thing at the right time, then it is effective and produces fruit.

Ecclesiastes 9:17
Words of the wise spoken quietly, should be heard rather than the shout of a ruler of fools.

The unbridled tongue does damage inwardly and outwardly.

James 3:6
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell.

James 3:8
But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

Only the Holy Spirit can tame our tongue. We can learn to submit to his voice by quieting ours.

James 3:9
with it we bless our God and Father and with it we curse men who have been made in the image of God.

It goes on to say in James 3:12 that no spring can yield both fresh water and salt water.

What if we reached that place of maturity by bridling our tongue?  What if the fresh flowing water of the Holy spirit poured out of us because we were yielded to His direction and leading.

How about you?  Have you struggled to watch your words?

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think…just watch your words.  🙂

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