As Christian adults, we must tame our tongues and guard our thoughts to speak and think words that build up and not tear down. We must use life-giving words and guard our thoughts to protect ourselves from feeling torn down if we hear negative words.
When I was a kid, we were taught not to let the words of others affect our lives. At any given time on the playground, you could hear, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” As I watch my children grow up, society has become more aware of the harmful effect that the words of others can have, and we now name this behavior “bullying.”
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Words matter. The words we speak and hear can build up and “speak life,” or they can steal our joy and “speak death.” The Bible compares the tongue to fire (James 3:6). Like fire, spoken words can cause destruction. We must learn to tame our tongues and guard our thoughts, but how?
How Do We Tame Our Tongue?
When we think of someone having a “potty mouth,” we mostly think of people who say curse words. The Bible speaks about many different ways to tame our tongues. Here are a few items from the biblical list.
- Lying
- Arguing
- Complaining
- Gossipping
- Boasting
- Betraying
- Judging
The Bible tells us that we need to keep our tongues and mouth. We know we need to do better, but so often, exaggerations, half-truths, arguments, complaints, gossip, bragging, and boasting seem to fall out of our mouths.
Consider the Reason Behind Our Communications
Someone said we must “taste our words before we spit them out.” We may keep ourselves out of trouble if we slow down to consider the reason behind our communications. Looking at the list above, we can be tempted to lie, argue, complain, gossip, or boast because of pride. None of these communications are helpful to others and do not bring glory or honor to our heavenly Father.
We Need to Be Slow To Speak
When we talk without considering the consequences, we can speak recklessly. It’s essential to take responsibility for our words and recognize their power. Our communication can uplift and heal others, so we must be mindful of what we say. Unfortunately, we often see much hate and people speaking without thinking. Christians should strive to demonstrate self-control and honor our faith in every situation.
“The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing“
Proverbs 12:18 NIV
We Need To Pray Before We Speak
It is not easy to watch what we say. The Bible says the tongue is unruly and poisonous (James 3:8 KJV). The only way that we can do better is to ask God to help us. We should pray and ask God to speak through us at the beginning of each day.
I work with children with speech difficulty, so my daily prayer is that I lovingly encourage them as they learn to speak clearly. I ask God to work through me so that my words and actions represent Him and bring honor and glory to His name. I also ask God to help me know when to speak and be quiet. Sometimes, silence is what is best.
How to Guard Our Thoughts
Although we are watching what we say to others, inevitably, sometimes we are faced with some not-so-kind words spoken to us or about us. Not only do we have to relinquish our desire to get even in retaliation. We must know how to guard our thoughts to protect ourselves from negativity.
Whenever someone says something to hurt us, we must learn to let go and let God. That may sound difficult, but we must only hold on to God’s words and let everything else be untrue. The Bible reminds us of the only thoughts that should occupy our headspace.
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Phillipians 4:8 KJV
A Prayer to Tame Our Tongue and Guard Our Thoughts
God cares about everything we go through and will answer our prayers. No one is perfect, but based on our love for God, we should want to live a life that honors Him. Whenever we find an area that we struggle in, we need to ask God to forgive us and help us. He is faithful, and He will answer our prayers. Below is a prayer to tame our tongues and guard our thoughts. Pray this prayer, believing in your heart.
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Absolutely loved this article 💞
Aww Thanks Cynthia. I am so glad you did! Be blessed!
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