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Welcome to those who have clicked your way over after reading my Proverbs 31 Ministries devotion Quick! Bring Out the Best. To read the devotion, click here, but be sure to come back for our discussion on how God’s word helps us to use our words without regret and to learn how you can get a printable PDF of designed Scripture memory cards called Deeper by the Dozen: 12 Bible Passages to Deepen Your Walk with Christ.
Have you ever said something you regret? I don’t mean just a slight slip of the lip. You know, where you used the wrong word to describe something or messed up trying to give an answer or make a point. I mean where you really blew it. You spewed out angry words at a child or spouse. You gossiped about a coworker or person from church. Or maybe you were in insensitive when conversing with a friend, and now you wish you could take it all back, but it’s too late.
Yeah. Me too.
My words have landed me in a heap of trouble on many occasions throughout my life. They still do sometimes. However, I have found a wonderful remedy for using my words in a way that causes me less regret. It’s when I make God’s word more important in my life then my own words. And I don’t mean just listening to the preacher preach God’s word on Sunday or hearing it through my earphones as I catch a quick podcast from a Bible teacher. Or looking at lovely images on Instagram that have a Bible verses gorgeously lettered over top. I don’t even mean studying the Bible verse by verse alone or with a group of friends. I mean internalizing them so much that you commit them to memory.
Psalm 119:11 makes a bold assertion that paints for us a picture of how we can behave without sinning with our words:
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
Sound too simple? Too antiquated? Too difficult? Nope. It isn’t any of those things. When we commit God’s word to memory, it can help us to use our words in a way we won’t regret. To use them to build, not to break; to bless, not to badger; to encourage, not to embitter; to praise, not to pounce.
When we are about to hurl a little harshness at a child who has just ticked us off royally by asking us the same question for the forth time that day, we can pause and in our minds recite Psalm 15:1:
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
When you are in the midst of a group of people two are tearing it to someone, gossiping behind their back, in your mind you can rehearse the words of Ecclesiastes 5:6 over and over again, and then chose to keep your lips zipped:
Do not let your mouth lead you into sin.
Get the picture?
Now, if you’d like a little support in this endeavor, I have a devotional releasing next monthentitled Zip It, that is a follow up to my book Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All.
Zip It is a 40-day walk through the Bible and what it says about how we are—and are not—to use our words! Keep It Shut covered many topics, including anger, truth-telling, people-pleasing, our digital tongues online, and gossip. Because there are countless verses in the Bible that relate to our words and our silence, Keep It Shut only scratched the surface of these issues. My new book Zip It! now takes a deeper look and offers practical how-to’s that will inspire you to use your words without regret.
Each of the forty interactive entries includes a Scripture verse focus for the day, a story or teaching point, and reflection questions with space for readers to write their answers and thoughts. Each entry ends with both a challenge that will help you carry out the directive in the verse and a prayer prompt.
AND…..STAY TUNED!! Because this book contains 40 days of devotions……and Lent is coming…….I will be leading a free Facebook Group entitled #DoingLentTogether where we won’t be giving up chocolate or chips, but instead giving up using our words wrongly! Interested in joining me? Sign up below to let me know and I’ll send you specific details on #DoingLentTogether mid-February. For now, let me answer a few questions you might have about this community.
Question: How will this work as a Facebook group?
We will be a interacting in a group on Facebook where I will lead us through 40 days worth of scripture about many topics that relate to using our words: angry words, when to speak up, when to remain silent, gossip, words of forgiveness, examples of Bible characters who used their words well {or didn’t!} and how God’s word helps us to use our words wisely. I will be posting encouragement, a challenge of the day, and also doing many Facebook live videos (sometimes with a special guest!) and there will also be GIVEAWAYS!!!
Question: When does this run?
It kicks off on Ash Wednesday, March 1st, and runs through the day before Easter, Saturday, April 15th, however we will not be active on Sundays. This will give us 40 days of interaction.
Question: Do I have to buy the book to be in the group?
It is strongly recommended that you have the book since each day’s discussion will be on one of the 40 short devotional entries in the book. {There is a paperback copy and an e-book version AND if you purchase the paperback through us at Proverbs 31 Ministries you’ll receive a bonus printable PDF of designed Scripture memory cards called Deeper by the Dozen: 12 Bible Passages to Deepen Your Walk with Christ. Here is a sample of one of the verses in the PDF:
Now, if you choose not to get the book, you are still welcome to join! We don’t want to turn anyone away. It will make some of the interaction a little confusing at times but you will still be able to glean from the 40 days of accountability and learn from the discussion you see happening.
Ok….if you are even slightly interested in joining, enter your email below. We will send out the specific details and link to the Facebook group in mid-February. I can’t wait to meet you in our group!
GIVEAWAY OF ZIP IT!!
To be entered to win a copy of Zip It!, leave a comment here today adding to the discussion of hiding God’s word in your heart. Have you ever done it? Why or why not? Has it helped? How have you struggled in this area? Any tips that have worked? Or, what area do you most need help in using your words wisely? Anger? Gossip? Truth-telling? Forgiveness? Learning how not to talk too much or speak too soon? Please chime in on this important topic. One winner will be chosen to receive a copy of Zip It!
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