Lord, Shut My Mouth - Breaking Through OffensesSample

Proverbs 13:3 says that when we guard our mouths, we protect our life but when we open our lips, we invite our own ruin. See, God is basically saying “Shut your mouth”. JK. But for real – how many times have you gotten offended by someone’s words or actions and just spit out things that you didn’t even know were in you? Just me? It’s like the toothpaste analogy. Have you ever tried to put toothpaste back into the tube? Words are like that – they can’t be put back once they come out.

And typically, when we blurt out hurtful, curt, or snide words – something is going on in our hearts. Our words reflect our heart. God says that whatever is going on in our hearts, overflows through our mouth. Maybe it’s unresolved anger, jealousy or hurt. If that’s simmering like a southern grandma’s stew, it’s going to boil up some bitter words. And bitter things don’t ever taste good going down or coming back up. In order to release an offense, we have to go digging in our hearts to see what the root issue is.

Yesterday, I asked you to think about a time that someone spoke an impactful word of encouragement to you. What if you had the reputation of always being that person to others?

When you understand how to use your words to deliver God's freedom over others, you become that person. When you’re intentional about how you live out the Word of God through your spoken words, you become that person. When we start to seek God– for his wisdom, then our perspective starts to change over what we’re speaking into existence. If we are focused on doing all things for building up – then God will absolutely use that to transform our thoughts and hearts to align with his. Words that we once might have used to defend, block or intentionally hurt others, won’t come as easy. And words that build up and point others to Jesus will.

What if, instead of vomiting those hurtful words, you practiced the pause and chose to speak life through them instead? In Exodus 14:14 he says that he will fight for us, we just have to shut our mouths. He doesn’t say it just like that, but you get the picture.