Does it Encourage?

 

“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.”

Ephesians 4:29

 

Yesterday, in talking about how to live and grow in holiness before the Lord you were given a question to ask – Is what I want to do or see beneficial?

Today, as a continuing effort to grow in holiness before God let me give you another question to ask – Is it encouraging?

Specifically, is what I am watching, saying, doing or thinking encouraging to my own spirit.

Too many of us engage in negative conversations with ourselves.

We do, in fact, become our own worst enemies.

We even say and think things about ourselves that would easily offend us if it was coming from another person’s lips!

Look in scripture to find so many examples of God or His messengers convincing a reluctant servant that, with Him, they could indeed do what He had called them to do!

Consider Moses, Gideon and Peter as just a few examples.

We are no different.

God calls us to a task and we spend the next several weeks, months or even years telling ourselves why we are not able to do what He has called us to do.  

So, our thinking and our words need to change.

He is the enabler.

He is the sufficiency.

We are the vessels that are to be filled up with Him.

That filling includes our thought life and our mouth.

One simple way to start is with a question.

Will what I am thinking, or about to speak, be an encouragement?

Ask it - of yourself - a thousand times in a day if necessary.

Does it encourage?

Our scripture for today is always taken to mean our conversations with others.

That is correct in context but I would encourage you to

allow it to challenge how you speak to yourself as well.

Does the conversation you have with yourself (we all do it!) benefit you as you listen?