An Experiment in Silence

"You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. " (Matthew 12:34-37 ESV)

I've had a sore throat for the last week. Today, in an effort to reduce the wear and tear on my throat, I have made a conscious effort to rest my voice. This is much easier said than done, especially with two little ones in the house. I have had to be very selective about what I choose to say, even resorting to some simple sign language and stern looks to get my point across.

I have caught myself more than once saying things that weren't absolutely necessary, an experience that reminded me of how important it is for us to control our tongue--no matter what level of health we are experiencing.

How many times yesterday or today did you utter a careless word? Do you find it hard to keep your tongue in check?

For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. (James 3:7-10 ESV)

May these words be a reminder to you and me in the days to come.

Do you have any helpful suggestions to share with others about controlling the tongue? You can share them here.

Also check out the companion blog over on BibleStoreBrowser.com entitled Gracious Speech.

God's Best Life for You

One of my favorite principles in the Bible is that a good man's steps are ordered by the Lord. As I look back on my life, I can see where God was orchestrating circumstances and my heart to lead me to the next step on my path.

I want God's best for my life. Ideally speaking, that is. Practically speaking, it sometimes takes a bit of coaxing from the Holy Spirit to put away the desires of the flesh.

Over the years it has gotten easier to discern the Holy Spirit speaking to me. And it has gotten easier to say no to the flesh.

Still, there are times I don't listen to the message He's sending me. I hear that little whisper telling me that I'm wasting my time or that I'm being selfish, and yet I keep doing what I'm doing or ignoring the needs of others.

Ultimately, I must decide in my spirit that God's way is the best way and then make a conscious effort to defeat the flesh.

If I'm not following God's leading every time I sense He's telling me something, I'm missing out on the best life I could have. Not a life of sportscars and big houses as some popular books would lead us to believe. I'm missing out on being the most effective person God has in mind for me to be for Him.

It's not always easy to know what God wants you to do. You read the books, search the Bible, and pray for certainty. Then when the answer comes, do you do it? Consider the blessings that will come when you submit to Him!

Can you imagine what your life would be like if you obeyed every leading of the Holy Spirit? What if every Christian experienced God's perfect will for their lives because of an unswerving commitment to obedience? What would the world look like?

God's best life for you is a life lived entirely for Him.

Enjoy the Time

Recently I read an excerpt from a book by Emilie Barnes. She talked about how we're always so busy we don't take time to slow down and enjoy the process of getting to our destinations. That's been sticking with me ever since.

Lately, I've been pondering the "interruptions" of my young girls and how I get so frustrated that I can't always accomplish the things I'd like to accomplish. The other night, the family set out for a walk around the neighborhood. I started out holding our three-year-old's hand. She was attempting to go anywhere but straight, nearly yanking my arm out of the socket with each dart. Finally, Daddy took her and I had the one-year-old. It wasn't long before Little Miss Independent lost her walking privilege and she and Daddy went back home.

Now some nights I go alone with Darling Daughter #2 and she keeps up exceptionally well, despite the distance. Well, this night was an exception. It seemed she was stopping every few yards to inspect the gravel or pick up a rock. Her eyes were on the ground, not on what was ahead. I was reminded of what Emilie Barnes had written. 'Just enjoy the time. Enjoy the time. . .,' I told myself.

Then as she stopped to look at some wildflowers and weeds, I thought about how Jesus would have acted toward her. Oh, how He would relish it! After all, at least one time He had reprimanded some of His followers for not allowing the children to come to Him. So, I started seeking the same attitude.

You know what? I wasn't rushed anymore. I just got to enjoy my daughter instead of focus on what I wasn't getting to do.

Since then, I've been really trying to put that into practice. God gave us these girls out of His goodness and these times will be gone before we know it. The circumstances may not always be ideal, but they are better than the alternative of never knowing these dear little creatures from God.


Have you visited BibleStoreBrowser.com lately? Check out this Bible study from the life of David. I pray God speaks to many through it.