Words are so important. Tuesday I was instructed by the Lord to use words of gratitude to lift myself out of the depressed state I had woken up in. A few days before that I had read a devotional about using words to build or tear down. The devotional encouraged me to become an encourager...using my words to build others up. And Tuesday's Joyce Meyer podcast was on keeping our words positive over ourselves and others, not using them to gossip, slander, or spout negativity. Looks like the Lord is reminding me to watch how I speak!
This idea started forming in my head that our "speaking" can actually be compared to a working out. Working out is a chore to me. I'd much rather be lazy. LOL My schedule is pretty packed, so when I do get some free time the last thing I want to do is exercise. I can very easily get out of the exercise habit by making excuses not to do it. It's the same with the words I use. I can very easily make excuses for gossip or complaining as well as not giving encouragement or letting people know they are valuable.
Just like repetition makes our muscles stronger, so too repeatedly speaking in God honoring ways makes our walk with the Him stronger. It makes us healthy!
Most of us know the ways we should or shouldn't be speaking. I think God sends us these reminders because we often get out of practice. Because life starts wearing on us, getting us down, and we get out of the habit of speaking positively, and forget to be grateful (and say so). We start to get focused on ourselves and forget to encourage others. We feel down, we see the world, our lives and others in a negative way and our words reflect this. It's like a never ending spiral down into a deep, dark pit.
Exercise increases our energy, and healthy eating makes our bodies work better. When we don't do these things we fall deeper and deeper into physical disrepair. When all of our words are bad, our faith falls into disrepair.
I know this area is a battle ground for me. Both in physical exercise and my words. Perhaps that is why the Lord has linked them together for this reminder. He's funny like that!
Lord, thank You again for another timely reminder. I'm so glad You always take the time to teach and lead. Turn our hearts towards doing right...give us the energy we need to have our words make a positive impact in our lives and the lives of those around us. Help us to contribute positiveness to the world around us and not join in with the the devil's work of polluting the atmosphere with negativity. Lord, let our words build Your kingdom. In Jesus' Name. Amen
Work out your lips today with uplifting words to those around you!
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