Spend time in prayer and silence with God asking Him to meet with you and speak to you.
Bible Reading
When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
– Proverbs 10:19
Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life;
he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
– Proverbs 13:3
A soft answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
– Proverbs 15:1
The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,
but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
– Proverbs 15:28
Do you see a man who is hasty in his words?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
– Proverbs 29:20
Devotion
Self-control is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is great to allow Him to control your life, but as you can see from the verses we read today, there are all kinds of benefits. Sometimes allowing God to help us to take some time before we respond prevents us from causing problems. Other times it can enable us to temper a volatile situation.
My favorite phrase from the verses we read today is, “The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer.” I can think of all kinds of situations at home, at work, and out in the community where these words can be helpful for me. The Bible tells us that we speak from our heart. Taking time to think about God’s purposes and our desire to represent Him well can help us to guard our heart and prepare it with the abundant life of Christ so that our words reflect rich truth.
The Big Question
Is your speech characterized by self-control? Who suffers when you don’t take the time to think and check your motives before you speak? Remember from Tuesday that our words can bring life and encouragement to those closest to us. Prepare your heart right now to allow your words to be in control today.
Conclude your time in prayer and silence reflecting on what you have learned.