“Some days, life feels perfect. Other days it just ain't workin’. The good, the bad, the right, the wrong and
everything in between…” Ever feel that way? Toby Mac seemed to sum it up in these few lines.
A few weeks ago someone told me how they were about to
give up on things. He had been hit hard
with more bad than good lately. Nothing
was working out, his marriage was failing, work was a mess and his spiritual
life was in the dumpster.
Wondering what I could do, I took a look at the things he was saying through
his social media posts. You could see that there was a problem. Everything he
was posting or sharing was dark, negative, full of complaining and lifeless. The man seemed beat.
He wanted a normal life again, but the pattern he
developed wouldn’t lead him to that destination. There was a lack of reality or promise of
hope and I couldn’t wait to click off the site.
Welcome new friends this week from:
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I am so happy for your visit and hope that you come back
each week to participate in the weekly challenges. God has been faithful and we expect His favor
to abound in the lives of those who chose to Journey with Jesus on Daily Favor
Blog.
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Don't miss out on this week's challenge
(below).
When “You” Speaks Stupid
I know, making the statement “When ‘you’ speaks” doesn’t
make sense and it’s really bad grammar.
You’re right, but it’s so appropriate here.
In using the word “you” I’m referring to “you in general”
meaning it can be anyone … you, me, he, she, they, we … anyone! We all do it, that is, make stupid statements
that change the outcome of a situation.
Trying to curb what we say when “life” happens can be
difficult, especially if things happen that are out of our control.
Most of the time, we don’t even think about
what we say when the unexpected situation arrives. Before we know it stupid (as my husband says) comes out of our mouths like a tongue
that sticks to an ice cube. Once the words are out there you’re stuck with what
you’ve spoken.
Here’s what I mean. Maybe you can relate to this “certain”
man who had days of it just ain't workin’
with most of this transpiring on the same day.
Yup, this all happened to the same man. He even filled me in on the details for this
article! He had plenty more for the
week, but I needed to refrain from laughing or saying something stupid myself.
It’s been one of
those weeks where stupid just happened … you know when you’re doing something
simple like removing plastic from the air conditioner and get stung by a wasp. Why was it stupid? You saw there were bees flying around the
area and even said so to your mate!
When ordering at
Burger King you tell the cashier to put everything on the bun except the burger
and she gets mad at you. Why was it
stupid? You react by saying, “Evidently special orders do upset you.
I could go to Wendy’s; they don’t seem to have a problem with my
orders.” Yeah, let’s get the person fixing the meal even madder!
You heard that
rain was in the forecast so you wanted to mow the lawn. While mowing the fence line the mower runs
out of gas. After you fill the tank the
engine won’t start, because the battery lost its charge.
Pushing the
riding mower to the driveway you decide to give it a jump from the car. When you open the hood you realize the mower
is too close and WHAM the hood slams on your hand! BAM, reality hits you hard bro’! (Yeah, I
went there!)
So how could this
be stupid? The neighbor saw you by the
car and said he wondered if he
should go help – he didn’t. Perhaps his hesitancy
stemmed from the many confrontations when you said his music was too loud and that you would call the police?
You’re ticked off
at the computer because it won’t let you win a game on Solitaire. When you see your wife playing you say, “That doesn’t look like it will work.” She confidently says, “I think it will.” …
and it does. What’s stupid about
this? The husband was speaking his doubt
into his wife, but good for her, she didn’t receive it.
When listening to these situations I thought about
all the stuff that had me put a leash on my own tongue so that God could favor
me with His promises. It took me back to
a year ago this week – April 27th, 2015.
Casting Down Stupid
There have been things going on this week that kept me
casting down all imaginations the devil wanted me to speak. Most of the thoughts were connected to my
husband’s heart operations last year. I
knew that these thoughts were stupid, because they were already defeated in
several ways.
I use the word stupid because it goes way beyond dumb,
which sometimes happens innocently. First,
all work of satan was defeated on the cross at Calvary by Jesus Christ. Second, the things that were trying to sway
my thinking didn’t line up with the promises of God’s blessings on the
righteous and third, they never happened!
“Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts
itself against the knowledge of God, bring every thought into captivity to the
obedience of Christ …” (2 Corinthians 10:5 )
When you know what God’s Word says about a subject,
anything that goes against it isn’t true and needs to be rejected immediately
by your thought-life. Recognizing stupid
ideas, dumb thoughts and ridiculous persuasive commentary can almost be seen as
comical, because you know it’s not of God.
Prayer Vocabulary
While watching the birds at my place of rest, hubby and I
shared some of the things that had been going through our minds that the other
didn’t realize.
Our conversation turned serious and tearful as we
continued dialoging in the living room.
For several hours we shared our concerns. It was then that I told my
husband how the devil was reminding me of the events of his surgeries when we
were waiting for him to wake.
Vivid pictures of how he looked, with all the tubes and
equipment that were keeping him alive, played over and over like a re-run of E.R.
during a life threatening emergency. Every
time I thought of something good the Lord did, satan would remind me of when my
faith was tested and fear would try to surface.
I didn’t dare mention any of it to hubby, because for the longest time
he had nightmares of the event.
We are still standing on the Word of God for complete
healing for my husband. I realized that
the devil wanted me to speak words of fear so that it could be re-introduced
into our lives. That’s when God reminded
me of the words we spoke and have been speaking!
Over the years my husband and I have developed a distinct
vocabulary in prayer. We speak the Word
over a situation and expect God to deliver on His promise. The day of each surgery was no different; we
used our tongues as weapons of power.
“Death and life are
in the power of the tongue, and
those who
love it (love life) will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21)
Right before his surgeries my husband took my hand and
spoke these words from Psalm 118:17 as they wheeled him into the operating room.
“I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.”
God
heard his prayer when my husband spoke life into a situation that lined up with
the Word of promise. Since then we’ve
been praising God for what He has done through us, by sharing the goodness of
God in the land of the living. (Psalm 27:13) His testimony is what encourages others to speak life into their own
gloomy circumstance. (Revelation 12:11)
Consider Your Words
My
friend who is having so much trouble is lost in his own words of being busted
and disgusted with life. “Getting his
life back to “normal” isn’t possible without God. This gentleman says he trusts the Lord, but
his actions go against what he says he believes, breaking the spirit of those
who are looking for hope in His God.
“A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness
in it breaks the spirit.” (Proverbs 15:4)
Every
time he told someone his problems, fears and doubts he was speaking those words
over his life. He spoke this undesirable life into existence, because he hasn’t
taken time to consider his words.
“Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from
troubles.” (Proverbs 21:23)
When
we speak contrary to the Bible our mouth is full of cursing, deceit and
oppression. Trouble is planted causing
massive destruction opening the throat as a grave. (See Psalm 5:9 & 10:7)
The
“certain” man ends up speaking stupid things into existence, because he flies
off the handle reacting to a situation before thinking it through (at least that's what he thinks). There is a difference between the two; the
second guy caught his words before they took root and wisely turned his
conversations around every time.
“I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue; I will
restrain my
mouth with a muzzle while the wicked are before me.” (Psalm 39:1)
You may frown on how this “certain” male keeps getting
himself in trouble, but he is at a different place along his journey with
Jesus. Being quick to repent, he’s growing in grace and favor because he’s
learning to consider his words.
He did have a hard time giving God the praise when the
car hood came down on his hand. To his
credit, later he thanked the Lord it only got a little bloody and there were no
broken bones!
Don’t be quick to judge.
How many times have you done the same sin repeatedly and then ran to the
cross for forgiveness? Like the Apostle
Paul, I’ve beaten a path to Calvary myself.
This Week’s Challenge:
Speak Words of Life
On Daily Favor I write about things I’ve been going
through hoping it will inspire others to speak good things into people’s lives.
Whether we realize it or not our words are used to
build people up or tear them down emotionally, physically and spiritually. When we forget this principle we end up
canceling out favor from God in our lives, because we’ve failed to discipline the nasty
side of the tongue (and I don’t mean bad breath).
Our weekly challenge asks that we speak encouraging
words of life.
We
can speak life and hope into a situation or be “gloomers” delivering a message
of despair. Our words can turn someone’s
life around and give hope in every conversation we have.
Things aren’t always going to work out the way we
planned, dumb stuff causes us to say stupid things, and life is just going to
happen. As God’s children of promise we
have His grace (favor and mercy) on our lives; no matter the situation or
circumstance there is hope. Our job is
to convey that promise so others can see Jesus, not us.
“You (God) have granted
me life and favor,
and Your care has
preserved my spirit.” (Job 10:12)
Jesus is the One who has granted life to preserve your
spirit, and not destroy it. Right now I
speak words of life into you, and that God’s favor will grace your situation
giving you a testimony of hope to share.
This week when you are caught up in living, speak life to
the weary, brokenhearted and the wounded spirit. Speak wonderful words of life,
love and hope into others that the Lord may grant you favor.
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post.
Until next time, God’s
favor is spoken through words!
“My favor is canceled by
untamed tongues.”
Jesus Christ
*Unless
noted, the names in articles are changed to protect the individual(s) privacy.
Note: The
words satan or devil are not capitalized deliberately, because we give him no
place in our lives.
Disclaimer:
Article information is not meant to be used as treatment for mental or physical
issues, but geared toward spiritual awareness.
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Scripture
reference was taken from the New King James Bible Version provided by Bible Gateway.Image credit: Google Images or Dreamstime Creative Common License if not specified.
Image: Perfect Life Speak Life List
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"Speak Life" lyrics as recorded by Toby Mac.
Speak Life, Toby Mac, Daily Favor Blog, Favored1, Inspiration, Christian Living, Prayer, Christian Coloring Books, Hope, Grace, Reality Hits You Hard Bro.