Devotionals

The Tongue

The tongue

Our words are powerful and we shouldn't just say anything. The Bible, our direction and foundation guide us on our words, the impact of words and what can flow from them.

Proverbs 16:24
ESV
24 Gracious words are like a honeycomb,
    sweetness to the soul and health to the body.

1 Corinthians 10:31
ESV
31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 

Whatever we do, we do it with the conviction of doing it for God's glory. Our words can't just be anything and whatever but our words reveal what's inside of us.

Some of you deal with swearing /cussing. For those who struggle, the usual suspect is what we feed ourselves. If you're constantly watching things that negatively influence you, even if it's a comedy, even if it doesn't seem that bad, it will affect you. If You're constantly feeding yourself things that are filled with swearing, bad music, videos that are sinful etc it will plant seeds in you and remain in your conscience.

What we watch and listen to has the power to change and shape us whether we realise it or not. We shouldn't entertain what brings us into sin or what doesn't glorify God but rather stay away from such things. This can also be people. If you have friends who are constantly swearing, acting or saying inappropriate things, it is affecting you.

There was this woman I found extremely funny and though I loved her sense of humour and other things, she would swear constantly. Something me and my sister noticed is whenever we watched her video. It could just be 2 minutes and I feel slow. My body would feel extremely tired, I wouldn't feel any energy but drained inside but as soon as I stopped watching her, I felt vibrant and filled with energy again. This would happen every time till I couldn't even tolerate 10 seconds of her videos without being bothered and tired.

When you grow closer to God. The more your tolerance for sin is weakened. You don't feel comfortable just listening or watching anything out of not having that desire anymore. It's very different to being paranoid, some people would tell me how they feel overly fearful or like they are disappointing God when they read no Christian book, the issue is not the books itself but the influence behind it. Books aren't a sin but what it does can be sinful. We shouldn't throw our TVs out the window and remain in a room all day. That's not what the fear of God is, that's just fearing God but out of paranoia. What I'm talking about is that as you grow in faith, you'll be more distanced from the world. You'll begin to discern (pick and choose) what you should listen to and what you can't. You'll begin to discern what is something you can entertain and what is not.

You can watch things but not like the world watches. You speak but not as the world speaks. You read books but with the awareness that you have a God that you love deeply and will not engage in things that will bring you further from Him.

I didn't realise when I stopped watching some things until someone would point it out or I would look back at something and realise I stopped doing/watching certain things.

Our tongues can declare things. There is power in what we say, declare, pray and confess. Whether that be negative or positive, our words can cut and build.

Yet Jesus calls us to use our words for His glory just like anything else. Our mouths must confess what is true, honourable and kind. Our mouths shouldn't just say anything because what they will say will be impactful.

When we think of our tongues, we need to think of what we want to be remembered by and who we want others to see

I'll use Philippians 4:8 as guidance. It speaks of what we meditate on. Our words come from what we meditate on and what is inside of us.