Are you quick to speak?

Have you ever read Joyce Meyers book, “Me and My Big Mouth”? That described me perfectly when I was younger.

Because I’m well aware of my penchant to “let go” when I’m angry I try to always take a moment before I react no matter what the provocation. However, although I’m more in control of my temper that doesn’t always work and there are times when I say something that really hurts someone’s feelings. Yes, that person may have done or said something that made me angry but that is no excuse for responding in an angry and hurtful manner. The apostle James tells us,

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, James 1:19

I’ve found out several things the hard way before I learned to control my tongue,

1. It is so easy to let go with angry words but apologizing isn’t easy at all (not for me anyway).

2. Even after you apologize it takes a while for bruised feelings to be healed after being wounded by angry words.

3. Sometimes it’s easier to just let it go without responding in anger even if you are the wronged party. (I’ve found that when I do this I usually have an opportunity at another time to let the person know how I felt)

Over the years I prayed and asked God to put a guard on my mouth that I’d always think before I speak and not react with angry words. Thankfully I’m not as quick to speak anymore. If I get angry enough I can still say some pretty hurtful things but I seldom get that angry. I know that as a Christian one of the quickest way to mar my testimony is to react in anger without stopping to think and that is the last thing I want to do.

because our anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. James 1:20