3 Keys to Controlling the Tongue

by Barbara Latta

Eyes may be the windows of the soul, but the mouth is the door that releases the soul’s contents.

3 Keys to Controlling the Tongue

Paul’s instruction to us under the influence of the Holy Spirit is, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one” (Colossians 4:6 NKJV).

Most of us grew up hearing taunts spit at us by other children on the playground. The usual response would be “sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” While that sounds like a clever retort, nothing could be further from the truth. A wound made by a stick or stone can heal and later is forgotten, but words can stab at our hearts leaving a painful opening in our soul.

Wounded people wound others, and this can cause us to form barriers against relationships and violent responses can be the result. We can apologize for thoughtless comments, but the hurtful words remain behind and can’t be taken back.

Here are 3 keys we can use to control our words:

1. Control Thinking—Philippians 4:8 tells us, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things.” Our speech will reflect what has been going on in our minds.
2. Be Prepared—2 Timothy 4:2 tells us to preach the word and be ready in season and out of season. If God is our focus, His words are what we will speak.
3. Practice Discipline—James 4:6 says our tongue can defile our body. Controlling our speech requires discipline, but if restraint is our goal we have completed the first step. It will take practice, but if we will start small by thinking before we open our mouths, we are on the road to successfully keeping our tongue under wraps.

Wars have been started because of words. Peace has been accomplished through the spoken or written word. History has been altered because of rash, impulsive comments and treaties signed when control was exerted.

Roy Williams, University of North Carolina basketball coach, said, “Words start wars and end them, create love and choke it, bring us to laughter and joy and tears. Words cause men and women to willingly risk their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor. Our world, as we know it, revolves on the power of words.”

Not only do we need to watch our words to others, we need to speak positively over ourselves. When we put ourselves down we poison our soul and start to doubt God’s power in our lives.

Focusing more on what God says will redirect thinking which will also redirect what comes out of the mouth.

Please feel free to share your thoughts.

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