The Cursing Tongue {Day 22}

30 Days to Taming Your Tongue - What you say (and don't say) will improve your relationships by Deborah Smith Pegues

Day Twenty-Two - The Cursing Tongue

Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.  My brethren, these things ought not to be so - James 3:10

Why do we use expletives as freely as we drink water?  Because we have not allowed the Holy Spirit to tame our tongues.  James, the brother of Jesus, explained it this way:  No man can tame the tongue.  It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.  With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God - James 3:8-9 

Using profane, obscene, or vulgar language is unbecoming to a child of God.  People use profanity for various reasons.  First, they often lack an adequate vocabulary with which to express themselves and therefore feel they must curse for their words to have impact.  Those who are challenged in this area must start to develop a communication style that is direct, clear, and without hostility.  They mat find that expletives are unnecessary.  Secondly, some resort to profanity to release their extreme frustration in a situation.  They have developed an ungodly pattern of expressing their displeasure and need to retrain their responses.  They would do well to decide in advance upon some alternate words to use when they find themselves reaching the peak of frustration.

Take the matter to the Lord in prayer, "Lord, I understand according to Luke 6:45 - A good person produces good deeds from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil deeds from an evil heart.  Whatever is in your heart determines what you say.  Would you please take the four-letter words out of my heart and replace them with your expressions?  I thank you in advance for purging me of profanity and for allowing the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart to be acceptable in Your sight."

Understanding that profanity resides in your heart helps us to reject the idea that a curse word "slipped" out of our mouth.  The reality is that it slipped out of our heart.  Only God can cleanse a person's heart.  If you are challenged with profanity, ask God to purify your heart and your mind.  Remember that words are verbal thoughts.  We must practice the mental discipline of casting down profane thoughts and using words that bring life to our innermost being and to others.

Today's Affirmation:

Cursing does not proceed out of my mouth.  Today I give God full charge of my tongue.  By His grace I will only speak words that will bring honor to His name.

This is the one I've been waiting for!  I am definitely one challenged with this affliction and I will be revisiting this post frequently until I can completely let go and give this over to the Holy Spirit to tame, for I cannot do it alone.  Trust me I know, I've tried -- for years!