The Words We Say Matter

It is God’s desire that we live a life full of purpose and hope.

It’s a life that He has equipped us for long before we entered our mother’s womb. It is a life that is for our good and will bring Him maximum glory. This God-designed life is within our reach. We do not have to chase it down.

When we listen to the Lord and follow His instructions, He guides us on the path that leads us exactly to the life He intended for us to live. Even knowing all this, why does this God-designed life and purpose seem so out of reach at times?

The answer to the question is in Proverbs 18. [verse reference=”Proverbs 18:21″]Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.[/verse]

What could this possibly mean? It means that the words that flow from our lips can bring us closer to our purpose or push us away from our purpose. The Bible repeatedly cautions us about unwholesome speech. It urges us to use our words to encourage and cultivate healthy environments. The Bible describes the tongue as restless, evil, poisonous, and untamable. It is imperative that we use our words to speak life so that we don’t suffer the consequences of an unruly tongue.

We all have negative thoughts. I would be lying if I told you that I did not. However, a thought remains a thought until verbalized. Once you verbalize it, you just gave it life, and you can be sure to see what you say is what you will get.

The dangers of an unruly tongue

In my case, the words I used pushed me away from the very thing that God called me to do.

When I would sit down to study a topic God placed on my heart to speak about, my children would come and interrupt me. They were bickering and could not seem to get along. If I were sitting on the couch watching my favorite show and eating a bowl of ice cream, absolutely no one would bother me. My phone would not even ring. The minute I stepped into my office to study, it was an open invitation for my children to completely lose their minds.

If I needed to be at a church function or anywhere of importance, I was late. Not the late where you can sit in the back and go unnoticed. I mean, the late where the function was over because everyone was outside watching you arrive on the scene. I would say things like, “I never have a minute to myself,” or “I can’t ever get out of the house on time.” I would say these phrases so much that when I sat down to study, I expected to get interrupted, and I did. When I left the house, I expected to be late, and I was late.

I did not realize the power of my words.

Every time I spoke negativity in my anger and frustration, I declared chaos over my life, my purpose, and my children. I was declaring that I am not capable of doing what God has purposed me to do.

I will not show up to the places God called me to. This is what the enemy wanted me to do. My words were robbing me of purpose, and I was suffering the consequences of an unruly tongue. The thing is that I was not the only one suffering, it was my entire household. I was in a negative thinking cycle, and over time I stopped going into the office and stopped caring to show up on time. Even though I knew what was going on and something had to be done, it was so easy to stay in a slump.

It was not until God jolted me out of my sleep at 5 am on the WEEKEND and led me to a book in my office that I read 3 years ago, by Joel Osteen. I sat down at my desk and randomly opened the book and read these words, “Whatever follows I am will eventually follow you.”

It was in that moment that God told me I needed to change the way I spoke and thought. He reminded me that my words mattered, and whatever I spoke out of my mouth was in the driver’s seat of my life. My words were seeds, and when I spoke negatively, I was sowing destruction, chaos, defeat, and doubt, and that is what became my portion. I was challenged that day.

If I could successfully invite chaos into my life with my words, what would happen if I decreed and declared God’s truth over my life? What would be my portion then?

What if instead of giving up studying because my children consistently interrupted me, I took it as an opportunity to stand together as a family and pray until heaven came down and God’s presence filled our entire house and peace rested upon each of my children?

What if instead of giving up and slowing down when I felt the time was getting away way from me, I pressed in a little more and pushed a little harder so that I could get out the door? Not only can our words get in the way of purpose, but it also robs us of experiencing how God can show up for us when we feel we are at the end of our rope.

There are two choices – life and death and I choose life. Not only do I choose to speak life into others, use my word to inspire, motivate and uplift those around me. I choose to speak blessings over myself and my family.