You know you’re feeling convicted of something when you carry on a conversation like this with yourself:
Let’s skip the application of the James chapter for this week and blog about something else tonight.
Nice try. Why do you want to skip it? You didn’t skip Chapters 1 and 2.
Yeah, but those had more concrete action steps. Like giving construction paper to poor kids and stuff.
This one has concrete action steps too.
I know, but…
But what? You don’t really like them as much? You’d rather see how many cans of play-doh you can fit in a suitcase than pray for the wisdom to hold your tongue?
Uh…
It’s not really even the tongue-holding part, is it? You could muster the discipline to keep your mouth shut, right? It’s just like giving the silent treatment. Easy peasy.
Hey!
It’s like I can read your mind, right? I know what you’re thinking. If what comes out of your mouth reflects what’s in your heart, then you have a big ol’ dirty heart to take care of. And you’d almost rather clean the bathroom than your heart, right?
Almost.
Today’s action step: Pray for the peaceable, gentle, merciful, Spirit-filled wisdom that comes only from God.
I’ll be spending a lot of time praying. Let me know if I can pray for you too.
It’s so easy to get overwhelmed by this, and by all of the “crap-iness” inside and outside. Especially when I focus on James 1:27 and what that means for me and what I am NOT doing. But, the truth of the matter is it doesn’t get me anywhere to act like Eeyore. So even though yes I am getting my butt kicked by James, and am definitely in need of praying for this peaceable, gentle, merciful, Spirit-filled wisdom from my Father, I have to remember that my track record shows that I bite off more than I can chew and then I leave it there on the ground and take another bite. What the heck am I talking about?
Anyway, maybe you might get it at little, whoever reads this. I just know that God has ignited a flame in my heart….yet AGAIN, and this time I REFUSE to let it be extinguished, and the only way I can fan it is with prayer and bible study. I’m excited. I know I suck, but I know too that God is merciful and that He wants me to have a little mercy and grace for myself during this journey I’m about to embark. He loves me….like a lot!!
Good grief, I should just be writing this nonsense in a diary.
Bahaha!!
I thought such internal battles only happened to people over here in Australia—I guess I was wrong!
At first I didn’t relate to the battle of ‘taming one’s tongue’—then I looked at myself. Oops! Then I actually read James chapter 3 (that helps :p). Verse 2 stood out to me quite a bit: “We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.”
I know without the shadow of a doubt that I’m NOT a perfect man. There are many things that come out of my mouth that either could be worded much better, could have been said at a more appropriate time, or would have been better not said at all.
I have to agree with what Shannon said about “…the more the Lord cleans out my heart, the more “dirt” I see in there!” It’s scary! But I’m so glad He gives us spirit-filled eyes to see areas in need of improvement. I can only pray that God will give me the humbleness to lean on Him and allow Him to make the changes in me that are necessary.
Please pray for me in this endeavour!
Thank you for praying for me. Much felt.
Had a good heart to heart with daughter 3 last night. This morning she had an opportunity to choose drama and instead mustered the courage to choose peace. I have much to learn through this girl.
My prayer for today is that God will continue to illuminate my dark places so that he can be glorified.
Great writing. I’ve had those same feelings but not the words to express it that way. The “dirty heart” is definitely the root of the mouth problem.
By the way….play-do is not likely to make it through security so be sure to put that in the checked luggage and not the purse
Wow – this chapter along with much of Proverbs is very important right now in how I speak to my soon to be husband. May this be always in my mind!
Books heading your way in today’s mail, new friend!
It always strikes me as interesting that the more the Lord cleans out my heart, the more “dirt” I see in there! He’s so faithful to keep us uncomfortable in ways that cause us to surrender more and more to Him. I share all this conviction with you!
Amen!
glad i’m not the only one who has conversations like this with hersefl
*sigh* Pretty sure I need lots of prayer on this!
Prayed for you just now, friend.