Hollywood Prayer Network On The Pain Of GossipSample

GOSSIP IS A HABITUAL SIN

“Some say our national pastime is baseball. Not me. It’s gossip.” Erma Bombeck

PRAY:  Father, I'm sure I have lots of habits I don't even think about. But I ask You now to help me to see if I have a habit of gossiping. Or maybe I am idle, which makes me become a gossip. I don't ever want to talk nonsense or say things that I shouldn't. I want to have pure thoughts and say only words that bless, encourage, lift up, and honor other people. May this be the week that I break any possibility of gossip and I refocus and recommit to You and Your ways. Thank you for allowing me to start fresh every day. I love You, my heavenly Father. Amen.

REFLECT:  Reflect on this insightful progression of sins that Timothy warns us about. If we get in the habit of being idle, then we start going about from house to house bothering our neighbors, and then we become busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things we ought not to. Wow, look how that creeps up on us. So, first of all, we can't become idle. We have to be wise, resourceful, and purposeful with our time, giving every moment to the Lord and using our time for His glory. Then we won't be tempted to waste our time, bother other people around us, or gossip. So, gossip can come from liking to feel powerful by talking about people behind their backs, or it could be just because we are not using our time purposefully for God's glory and for the good of others. How do you spend your time? And are you talking about others during your days?

ACT:  Think about your days just this week. Have you been purposeful in using them to the best of your ability to be productive and contemplative and to serve God and others around you? Think through your conversations: Have you talked about people? Or have you talked about ideas, experiences, concepts, and godly wisdom? How do you spend your time and what do you talk about in your conversations? Maybe today is the day to evaluate your days and start to break habits of being idle or of gossiping. There is no better time than the present. Re-commit right now to become more Christ-like in all that you do and say.