Seek to understand, not to be understood.
We’ve all heard it said that there’s a reason you have two ears and one mouth: to listen more and speak less. The best way to remove sinful words from your mouth is to just not speak. I’m not talking about not ever speaking again, but honestly thinking about the words you want to say and asking yourself 1) do they serve a purpose?, and 2) should I just listen at this moment? Sometimes being so eager to be speak and be heard can make you miss out on a perfect opportunity to listen and learn. You should listen to understand, not just to reply.
If your words don’t serve a purpose, stop speaking.
That’s actually one of my favorite quotes. I first started using it about 10 years ago. Not only did I have it on repeat in my head, but it was one of the phrases I had posted in my office at work. That was the place I found people would talk so unnecessarily, wasting a good bit of time and effort that could better be used to add a great deal of productivity to their day. Co-workers would either complain about something or gossip about someone, but either way I wanted no parts of it. It’s still puzzling to me how any work got done.
Your thoughts of negativity, complaining, gossiping, etc., are problematic on their own, but have you ever watched what happens when those thoughts are put into words? They’re given life. They take up even more space as those around you feed into such thoughts and make them grow. Plant seeds of peace and allow others to feed off your harvest, in order to enrich your life and add more edifying conversations to your day.
In order to succeed in my word fast, it’s important for me to be careful about who and what I allow to deposit into my heart and mind. I cannot have negativity surrounding me and expect to purge it from my thoughts. So to all my friends and family…you’ve been warned!
I’m reading the @YouVersion plan ‘The Forty-Day Word Fast’. Check it out here: http://bible.com/r/Wj
Psalm 19:14 May the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord , my Rock and my Redeemer.
©2018 CSNelson, dontforgetthehalf
