In the quietness of this early morning encounter, the Lord reminded me of a statement I had made to someone the day before -- a little comment that grieved the Lord. It really didn’t surprise me that He was bringing this to my attention. Although it was now about 12 hours past the event, I remembered feeling a twinge of conviction when I said it. However, because of the flow and fast-paced nature of the interaction at that moment, I had moved on without acknowledging or dealing with my comment immediately.
I had not said something profane, impure, irreverent or even unkind. I had not gossiped about someone. But I did make a quick comment that was insensitive and self-focused. And now, half a day later, God was bringing it back to my attention. It was something He was not willing to let slide. And I am grateful for His persistence.
As the Holy Spirit reminded me of my words, I felt the sting of Holy Spirit conviction in my heart. I felt sorrow as I saw myself and viewed my comment from God’s perspective. In that moment I asked the Lord for His forgiveness. I also asked Him for the grace and power to be more careful with my words.
The Bible has a lot to say to us about our words. Here are some Bible verses that I reflected on following this event that are great reminders to all of us:
“A truly wise person uses few words ...” -- Proverbs 17:27 (NLT)
“We all make many mistakes, but those who control their tongues can also control themselves in every other way.” -- James 3:2 (NLT)
And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life. It can turn the entire course of your life into a blazing flame of destruction, for it is set on fire by hell itself. -- James 3:6 (NLT)
When was the last time God showed up in your life and talked to you about your talk? I am glad that He is committed to helping us tame our tongue!
Pastor Dale
