You might have heard or read it before, but words have power. When you speak negative words, those words have the power to break and hurt someone. You cannot see the consequences of this sometimes. That’s why it’s important to be aware of the things you say. Let’s encourage and urge each other to speak words that bring life.
Original text by Carola de Jong.
Negative words
Our tongue is a difficult thing to control. (James 3:5-8). We often don’t realize what effect the words have that we speak. Negative words work like poison. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul writes:
Don’t use foul or abusive language. […] (Ephesians 4:29, NLT)
The word Paul uses for foul, is the word ‘sapros’, which also means spoiled or rotten. In this case, he probably not just talks about rude or obscene language, but also about slander, gossip, or negativity.
We often don’t realize it, but we speak negative words a lot. Sometimes it seems easier to expose someone’s negative sides than the things we admire in someone. But negative words bring ruin, and you can hurt someone a lot with them. Sometimes, negative words are damaging to someone’s self image and they can develop a distorted identity. The same thing happens when you keep talking negatively about yourself.
Lies about yourself
Repeating to speak and think negative words about yourself causes you to bring yourself down unnecessarily. You started seeing yourself like the way you speak or think about yourself. They are all lies you started believing in over time. They are lies that tell you that you are worthless, not good enough, or not beautiful enough.
Especially we, women, are really good at comparing ourselves with someone else. In our thoughts, another person is often better, more beautiful, stronger, smarter, etc. By comparing ourselves with others in this way, we criticize ourselves. By doing this, we say we are worse, uglier, weaker, and dumber. However, everyone is made unique by God, every woman is just as worthy. Indeed, we all received different gifts and talents, and one person can do certain things better than the other. But God has a unique plan with all of us and has therefore equipped us with different gifts and talents.
Negative words that you speak about yourself or the negative thoughts you allow bring you down. These words are like poison and cause paralysis, so that you will not bloom as God intended you to. Words have more power than you might think!
Speak words of life
Be aware of the words you speak. About what you say about others, but also about yourself. Don’t let foul language come out of your mouth!
[…] Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. (Ephesians 4:29, NLT)
The Passion Translation describes our words are beautiful gifts:
And never let ugly or hateful words come from your mouth, but instead let your words become beautiful gifts that encourage others; do this by speaking words of grace to help them.
Listen to Paul’s call, speak words that are encouraging. Speak words of life and grace. The Bible teaches us: Love God above anything else, and your neighbor as yourself. This is our guideline when it comes to the words you speak about others and yourself. Ask help from the Holy Spirit, because we cannot go without! It is the Holy Spirit who brings words of Life.
Make it practical!
Are you someone that often speaks negatively about yourself? Listen to this song.
Ask the Holy Spirit for a lock for your mouth against negative words and ask for boldness to encourage someone with words of grace. Share gifts today by encouraging someone with positive words. Call that person or send a voice message. Speak life!
Read the original article here.
