Those who guard their mouths, and their tongues keep themselves from calamity. Proverbs 21:23
I know that the society/the generation, (however you'd like to say it) that we live in encourages us to #speakup #speakout!
This can be amazing right, but there comes a point where you just got to shut your mouth.
We reach this point out of frustration, pity, or plainly because that is what is expected of us as children of God.
Recently, I was convicted for this very thing. I needed to shut my trap.
Quick story: way back when I was a young girl, I became really quiet for reasons known & unknown. Later, as I started attending high school, I became a lot more talkative, 'girl was really breaking out (not for the good). It was my time to rebel, I thought. From hardly talking and being known as the shy & quiet girl I really wanted to break away from that person. I started talking and started debating and started just speaking nonsense. Look I have always had some strong points to make which were most of the time were not welcomed. These strong points were hard truths but my presentation in bringing these forth were completely disrespectful & completely misunderstood. In addition to this, I loved laughing, hence loved talking about silly nonsensical things. Laughing was an innocent coping mechanism until it wasn't anymore.
The point of sharing this with you is to bring you here. As I have grown older, I tried to be rather seen and not heard, again.
However, since giving my life to my one & only Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ, I do my best to be less seen and less heard. The less you know about me is best. The prayer of my life is this; 'if they see me, let it be You they see Jesus.' #lessofmemoreofHim
Okay, so the recent conviction; I have been asking my Lord a lot of questions; brace yourself. About the fact that racism seems prevalent today, still & why worship seems more of an entertainment piece & why does tithing (in some instances) seem like it's robbing or rather blinding people of the responsibility to be a blessing outside the church & why there is this unspoken lack of trust that the congregation has with their church leaders & why does it seem that the serving has crossed a line into some sort of sugared slavery & why does it seem that feminism is welcome in churches along with many other unbiblical societal beliefs & why does it seem that the simplicity of the Word of our God is being exaggerated & why does it seem that there are so many people in the congregation that are lost in the world but they the very people expected to go out and preach the Gospel of Jesus to the lost.
The blind leading the blind...🙈
I have all these feather-ruffling-good-for-thought type of questions and more, and Holy Spirit made me understand that all I have to is keep my mouth shut. (the first time I didn't believe this could be an instruction from God)
Now, I don't like being told to keep shut when I'm burning with questions.
I then spoke to my spiritual father and the advice he gave was this.
'You need to lean into the Lord with this, what you have to say will bring great spiritual attack on you & those you love & you need to let God do what He does. More importantly, it is better for you to keep quiet and seek understanding from God through His Word & through prayer.'
As much as I did not want to understand this instruction, I knew that it was best, and I found peace in accepting this, eventually. (read Probverbs 19:20-21)
So, here's my unsolicited advice on When to keep your mouth shut!
When you feel critical or about to condemn.
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and saltwater flow from the same spring? James 3:9-11
If the words will be a poor reflection of the Lord, and/or even your friends & family.
To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. "When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to Him who judges justly. 1 Peter 2:21-23
If you can't speak without raising your voice/yelling/scolding.
Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control. Proverbs 25:28
If your words will offend a weaker brother or sister.
So, this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 1 Corinthians 8:11-12
When you have not gotten all the facts.
To answer before listening—that is folly and shame. Proverbs 18:13
Certainly not in the heat of anger.
A quick- tempered person does foolish things. Proverbs 14:17
More importantly, when it is time to listen.
A quick-tempered person does foolish things, and the one who devises evil schemes is hated. Proverbs 13:1
This is only my experience and opinion, yours may be different. however, I do believe that we can agree that sometimes it's best to get quiet and allow God to reveal our hearts to us, regarding whatever may be the bother. I wholeheartedly believe that there is time set in place where all things will be brought into to the open and by His grace be made right.
Do you best in trusting the Lord with ALL your burdens, ALL your challenges and surely you will see how wonderful He is.
Stay blessed, be a blessing.
Jesus loves you completely!
❤
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