Hey, Big Mouth
Psalm 141:3 Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.
Proverbs 2:6 For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.
Matthew 15:11 It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.
James 3:8 But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
One of the biggest flaws I continue to fight on a daily basis, and frequently still lose the battle, is my mouth. I can sometimes hear my speech as coarser than I like. Often, I will say a curse word, or use His name in vain, as an exclamation either good or bad, but the thought is prefaced with His name. I hear it before the thought crossed my brain barrier and out my mouth, and I cringe. My desire is to always have kind speech and words coming out of my mouth. That does not always happen either; surely, it is more frequent than years ago, but still it is not constant. I want it to be constant as 2+2=2×2. That’s a constant, unchanging.
My other issue with my mouth is the overeating. And I love sweets. Oh my, I am adept at tuning out the Holy Spirit or really deaf, and unfeeling to little, soft nudges. . .because I respond to those cakes, cookies, or other bakery products, AND THEN AFTER the deed and sweet has been appreciated, I groan and realize I have mistreated His temple, my body again. I only get to use this vessel here, but am supposed to honor and treat it with all the respect and honor since it is a part of the representation of honoring my Savior and Lord. UGH! But when I want to obey the Tempter, it is MY immediate gratification I want filled. And then am left feeling empty, and yuck.
Daily, I pray for help and guidance for this; and resolve that I am going to be more adept at “hearing” the reminder I can do without that second helping, and I certainly don’t need that bakery product. One of the other mouth problems I still have is having too much wine. That is a bit easier for me to control, but it can still be that I have one or two many glasses at a neighbor’s house before going to mine. I don’t keep wine in the house unless I know someone is coming to dinner—I can be too easily tempted to ‘have one’ and then realize I have had half a bottle.
So many issues with the mouth are noted throughout the bible, and certainly in my life. I don’t want coarse language. How awful is that to praise and worship Him, and then use the same organ to say something crass, or gossipy, or crude about something? And overeating? I have an abundance! How much more control I would have if I had to depend on ‘daily bread’ instead of shopping for two families (I live alone!)and packing it into cupboards and fridges until needed. So, not just overeating, but then cramming myself with sugars/desserts and foods that are NOT needed and have NO nutritional benefit.
Lord, I apologize and confess my sinful mouth tends to rule over my desire for obedience and honoring You. You know it’s a several times a day struggle. . .yet, I can see improvement in the area of speech, but I want better in all aspects. Yes, yes, You are correct again, God, that is my impatience whining loudly. Yes. You know me so well. (Sigh)
Yes, all in Your timing. I just need to do my best and follow You and believe You will, with the Holy Spirit help me improve in all areas. Thank You for loving me, and reminding me improvements take time and will happen. . .and You are happy I want to improve in all mouthy areas of my life. It is a walk and a process. And You love me.
Thank You, Lord for knowing we walk a path with You, and we are not going to be perfect until You call us home. Thank You that Your love is not conditional as human love can sometimes be. You have so richly blessed me and ‘mybellaviews.’
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