Ephesians 4:29 says, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths. But only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." That is such a hard concept to stay focused on, day in and day out. We are bombarded with negative thoughts constantly. If we let ourselves think negatively we won't get anywhere as easily as we would if we think positively.
There are so many times where we can let the "unwholesome talk" come out of our mouths. For instance, if we are dealing with a situation that makes us angry, we tend to start getting snippy, snobby with others around us. Whether it be our coworkers or our friends, we tend to let the anger come flying out of our mouths. We normally regret it later, especially if we are quick with our anger towards those we love. We often regret the way we reacted later on. The way we react to the way we are feeling is 100 percent a reflection of us and on us at that moment. We never want the reflection of us to be constantly negative. Otherwise, we will lose a lot of people in our lives. No one wants to be around someone who is a Debbie downer.
Normally, if I’m feeling emotions take over, I tend to get away from people, so I don’t bring them down too. It sometimes only lasts a few hours but being away from people, helps me clear my focus. I listen to my favorite soundtracks or watch a movie. Most importantly, I pray about whatever is bothering me. It always helps to go to the one who can heal how I feel and heal my heart no matter what I’m going through.
There is nothing wrong with isolating yourself when you have a bad attitude, in order to help yourself feel better. Sometimes all you need is a few hours to be alone and then you will feel better. Do anything to get your mind off your emotions, and you will find that they often disappear quickly.
It is also hard to not let any curse words come out of our mouths. Every day we tend to slip up. It is something we all must work on daily. It takes practice and much discipline to not let any curse words come out of our mouths. If we let it, cursing will become a very bad habit. That is why we must guard our tongues and our thoughts, because the mind controls what the tongue does. The last thing any of us want is a bunch of harsh words coming out of our mouths at the wrong time. For instance, during family gatherings, or even worse, during an interview. Then there are other times where unwholesome talk could surface such as gossiping with our friends and talking bad about someone. The tongue is really a two-edged sword and we must work hard every day to guard our mouths from anything bad coming out of them.
If we constantly think and talk negatively about ourselves it will not only mess up our minds, but we will actually start to believe the lies that we are telling ourselves. If you keep saying, “oh I’m not good enough”, or “I’ll never live out my dreams”, you’re not only using your own words as an excuse, you’re also preparing yourself for failure, just by saying and thinking that your dreams won’t happen. You’re setting yourself up for failure if you constantly think you won’t get to achieve the dreams you want to in life. God put those dreams into your heart. Ask Him to help you figurer out ways to make them a reality. Start talking positively to yourself, saying things like “I will get my dream job”, and “this task isn’t bigger than me. This obstacle will not overtake me, I’ll overtake it.” “God is with me through this no matter what I face.” If you don’t believe in yourself, its time to start today.
Remember, words can heal, and words can also wound. Choose to mend hearts and help others through your words, instead of opening wounds that may not be easily healed. Don’t cut yourself down if you haven’t reached your dream yet. Keep going until you reach one and then keep on reaching for the stars. There is nothing you can’t do.