Harsh Words

Leslie Ludy WRITES:

It says in the book of James that “no man can tame the tongue” – which reminds us that we cannot, in our own strength, tame our own tongues. (See James 3:8.) Only God’s power can transform our words into pictures of His grace. So unless we are yielding to the Spirit of God to shape and refine us, we undoubtedly will stumble in this area. 

When it comes to changing our speech habits, it is no different than any other area of sin that you might struggling with. First, it is vital that you are not leaning on your own willpower or determination to change in this area of your life. We are promised that what God calls you to He will equip you for, by His grace. (See 1 Thessalonians 5:24.) Remember that the biblical idea of grace is more than the “hug” of God; it is the supernatural, enabling power of God to do what we could never do in our own strength. If exchanging hard and sharp words for kind and soft words seems impossible, I encourage you to ask God to give you grace to walk the path that He has set before you. Through it all, it has to be Christ working within you to enable you to live a life of righteousness and purity. 

On a practical note, when the temptation arises to speak harsh and angry words, if at all possible, walk away from that conversation so you are not allowing your emotions to dictate your words in the heat of the moment. Pause, submit your emotions to God, meditate on Scripture, pray for someone, and get your heart in the right place before you even make a response. 

As you make a purposeful effort in this area, it is possible that you may stumble or make mistakes. When this happens, immediately make the situation right before God and with the other person. Don’t allow the enemy to discourage you into thinking that you will never have victory in this area of your life, or that you are never going to change, so you might as well give up. God will give you victory in this area, if you keep your eyes on Him and rely on His grace!