The words we choose to speak matter more than we realize, because our attitudes and actions are greatly influenced by them. And sometimes when we open our mouth without thinking, we can bring ourselves down spiritually and hurt other people in the process.
For example, how many times have you heard yourself say things like, “I’m sick of cleaning this house,” “You’re driving me nuts today” or “This job is killing me”? Words like that don’t bring anything positive into our lives. And it’s important that we not take them lightly.
Proverbs 21:23 (NIV) says, “Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.” We need to practice saying things we really want to say and remember to be thankful for what we have. Because even when blessings are chasing us down, if we’re not careful, we can still find reasons to be negative and complain.
Keep Counting Your Blessings
It really is amazing how fast we can forget about the good things God has done for us. After He miraculously parted the Red Sea and delivered the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt, “the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron” (Ex. 16:2).
In other words, they forgot about the miraculous deliverance God provided for them and put their focus on the things they didn’t have.
It’s so easy to complain when our circumstances aren’t exactly what we want them to be. But many times it’s our attitude that keeps us right where we are. Philippians 2:14 clearly tells us, “Do everything without grumbling or arguing.”
Whenever you’re tempted to complain, just think about how much better it would be to remain thankful and say, “God, I remember the good things You’ve done for me, and I’m thankful for the breakthrough that I know is on the way.”
The Power of Praise
Whether we’re happy with our circumstances or not, giving God praise is so important. Psalm 91:2 says, “I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'”
Being mindful to focus on God’s goodness and the many ways He helps us is a great way to stir our hearts up with praise every day. And it strengthens our faith when we declare that God is bigger than our problems and concerns.
If there’s an area in your life that you’re having a hard time staying positive about, try doing a 30-day fast from complaining. Replace any negative words with positive words―and give God something to work with. You may still make mistakes from time to time, but God is faithful, and you can trust that He’ll help you get your mouth into complete agreement with His Word if you won’t give up.
You’ll find that when you are sincerely positive, it helps others be positive too, and people will come to you when they want to be encouraged. On top of that, you’ll be the kind of person they won’t even bother coming to when they want to complain, because they’ll know you won’t put up with it.
Keep yourself encouraged. Share with others what God has done for you. Tell them how good He is. And pray that He’ll give them a breakthrough in their life.
Use Words to Confound Your Enemy
When we trust God more than our feelings, it confuses the devil. When he throws his best shot at you and he can’t budge you from believing God, he won’t know what to do with you anymore. King David learned that when he was just a boy.
In 1 Samuel 17:45-46a, David said to the giant Goliath, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty. …This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands.” And he followed up his words with bold action.
David ran quickly toward the battle line, killed Goliath and won the victory! When we’re facing giants in our life, that’s exactly the way we need to behave. Don’t ever run at your enemy with a mixture of faith and doubt in your mouth. Let the devil know who he’s dealing with!
God will give you the victory if you will continue to agree with Him and speak His Word. Say what God would say even if it’s the hardest thing for you to do. Praise Him regardless of what’s happening around you.
You don’t have to give way to careless speech or complaining. You don’t have to let your feelings get in the way of what God wants to do in your life. Starting today, you can choose to remember the many things He’s done for you―and start speaking boldly about the breakthroughs that are yet to come. {eoa}
For more on this topic, order Joyce’s four-teaching CD series Change Your Words, Change Your Life. You can also contact us to receive our free magazine, Enjoying Everyday Life, by calling 800-727-9673 or visiting joycemeyer.org.
Joyce Meyer is a New York Times’ bestselling author and founder of Joyce Meyer Ministries, Inc. She has authored more than 100 books, including Battlefield of the Mind and Your Battles Belong to the Lord (FaithWords). She hosts the Enjoying Everyday Life radio and TV programs, which air on hundreds of stations worldwide. For more information, visit joycemeyer.org.
Chris Garcia