“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines
the course of your life.” ~ Proverbs 4:23
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All of my life, I’ve struggled with controlling my tongue. Coming from a family of very expressive Italians, I’ve tripped over my tongue so many times I can’t even count them. Along the way, I’ve learned a few tips for tying my tongue, aka thinking before I speak. Allow me to share them with you.
1–Thoughts precede words. Every spoken word first was a thought. Perhaps not a conscious thought, but a thought, nonetheless. So, to control your tongue, you first have to control your thoughts.
2–You have control over your thoughts. What you think is up to you. Before I came to Christ, I did not know this. Learning this truth revolutionized my life. In Philippians 4:8, our LORD commands us to think good thoughts. If He commands us to do something, He gives us the power to do it.
3–Your tongue controls your life. Like a bit in a horse’s mouth, the tongue directs the course of your life (James 3:6). If you want a good life, learn to control your tongue. How? By allowing Christ to speak through your tongue. When you are tempted to say something contrary to God’s Word, turn to Jesus within you and ask Him to speak words of life through your tongue.
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Copyright 2015 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All Rights Reserved. This article may not be published or printed in any form whatsoever without the written permission of Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. You may contact her at drmaryann@maryanndiorio.com to request permission.
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Dr. Diorio is a Certified Life Coach, a Certified Biblical Counselor, and a Certified Behavioral Consultant. She is also an award-winning, widely published author of fiction for children and adults. You may reach her at maryann@maryanndiorio.com or via one of her social media venues below:
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We have discussed our personality similarities in the past, MaryAnn. Like you, I come from a fiery family ( verbally expressive) and then lived to regret my brash temper and made immediate apologies to all in my line of direct attack; however, it was not until my mother passed away and other events that I finally curbed my tongue ( I should have always known better, so I have no excuse). On the other hand, now I am far too passive and far too reticent to express my thoughts and feelings; there must be a happy, conscious-filled medium. Passive or aggressive are not wonderful traits: being assertive, after discernment is equally important.
Thank you for your post, Skye. I hear you. 🙂 As we allow Jesus to live through us, we find that “happy medium.”