James 3:10
And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right.
Most of us have experience the impact of negative words on our lives. Even a person that seems to brush it off on the surface, feels the impact deep down inside. On the other hand, we also know how good it feels when someone complements us and says something positive or uplifting.
So if we know how it feels to be the recipient of negative words, they why do we say negative things to, or about others? Words are powerful! God spoke the Universe and even the earth into existence with words. Jesus spoke to a fig tree and cursed it, and it never produce fruit again. (Mark 11:13-14) Be careful about what you speak out of your mouth, even about yourself!
“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21)
So what do you do when someone speaks a negative word to you? You have two choices. You can lash back and allow the hurt to embed deep inside and take away all of your joy and peace, or you can forgive. Forgiveness will bring you a total release from the pain. Forgiveness allows you to move forward casting that pain out of your life. Dwelling on those words will stir up anger which can cause you to lash out seeking revenge. But more importantly, it will cause you more pain and hurt.
If we understand the influences that cause people to be who they are, it will become easier to forgive them. People today are influenced by what they watch on TV, social media, call phones, text messages, the news, just to mention a few. When people get influenced by all of these things it will cause them to act the way they do. Having a clear understanding that you are dealing with something that is out of your control allows you to give it to God through forgiveness and let Him deal with it.
Forgiveness is the key to enjoying your life when situations like this occur. Prayer is powerful, and praying for your enemies is a sign of maturity. Never underestimate the power of prayer. Prayer causes God to take action. I believe that God answers every prayer. I also believe that when you don’t get what you are praying for, God’s answer was no. So pray for those who offend you, and lift up yourself and others with positive words of encouragement. God will take care of the rest.
