One thing God has been teaching me lately is that I can and should control my thoughts and words.

This might not be a novelty to most of you but growing up in a house where we all just said what we felt, whenever, I never learned to apply a filter.

Over the last five or ten years, I have really come to realize that my words often times hurt others unintentionally.

I’m not a mean-spirited person. I don’t go out of my way to say things to hurt others. I have found with much reflection that often my words come out in a way that was not my intention. In a hurry to just blurt out stuff, get my point across, oftentimes it comes out in a jumbled mess. The message is sometimes much messier than I intended. Also, by not purposefully thinking about my tone and word choice often the meaning of my heart gets lost in the message.

God is teaching me to slow down and craft my words carefully to share my true intentions and love for my friends and family.

With the same process, not controlling my thoughts is hurting me. I never realized or processed I had control over my thinking but giving myself the power to reshape my negative thinking and reframe it into positive thinking has helped me tremendously in the last few years. I never realized your thoughts become your reality.

“Paul knew if we didn’t get our language in the right place, nothing else would matter. Even more important, if we continued to let our tongues say whatever they wanted, nothing in our lives would change.

“Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit-you choose.” Proverbs 18:21 Message

Again and again, throughout the passage, he brings our attention back to our tongue, or lips, or words:

Rid yourself…of filthy language

Do not lie to each other

Admonish (or encourage) one another with all wisdom Our words are the binding force of true transformation. They either make every other shift possible or destroy our chances of experiencing everything God has for us.

Our lives are a product of our words, for better or worse. We must take them seriously. ” The Triangle of What Controls You Devotional by David Ramos

I hope this helps someone as much as it is helping me.

Some questions to ponder.

Do you carefully craft your words with intention?

Do you watch your tone?

Do you pick a setting when and where the person will be the most receptive to the words you need to say?

Do you let negative thoughts, fears, anxieties, and worries to take over your thinking?

Try praying and asking God to help you choose your words carefully to convey the message with the intentions of your heart. Ask God to help you to reframe your negative thinking and lift those negative thoughts, worries, and fears up to him.

I know this is not easy and is a constant struggle, but over time I have noticed shifts in my thinking and words, but each day is still a struggle.

Hoping this will help and bless someone.

Lynda