The tongue has the power of life and death as Proverbs 18:21 records. In the same book (Proverbs 15:4), Solomon says a gentle tongue is a tree of life, whereas perverseness crushes the spirit.
One thing I noted last year was a lot of negativity as the Covid-19 pandemic hit hard and cost many people their jobs, businesses, loved ones and other sources of livelihood.
It has become commonplace to hear terms such as "Mtaachana tu," "Love is a scam," and "Marriage is a mirage" on social media as people comment on their peers' achievements in life.
Trust has become a precious commodity, such that it is preferable to keep your moves under wraps and not even let friends in your circle in on your life.
However, as Solomon says in Proverbs 18:21, what we say determines our attitude in life. Spiritually, the devil revels in those who embrace a negative attitude and are always speaking curses upon their lives and that of others.
Soon enough, the enemy swoops in to discourage us and create situations that reinforce the negative prophecies we make over our lives. After all, 1 Peter 5:8 records that our enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion waiting to devour us.
It is why the same scripture begins by informing us to always be of sober and alert minds. Indeed, as a man thinketh — and speaks — so is he. Your sentiments are a product of what goes on in your mind and hence speaking blessings begins with a radical shift in the mind.
Radical shift of the mind is humanly impossible but can only be achieved when we surrender to the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit knows the mind of God and when we embrace Him, our thoughts are intertwined with His and are able to see situations from God's viewpoint.
Have you ever been in difficult scenarios you thought would never overcome? Well, such is the human mind: shortsighted and tending to see things in black and white. Which is why in such circumstances, we are prone to speaking negatively about our lives and others.
However, God can see far and beyond the troubled times in our lives. As He says in Isaiah 55:8-9, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways."
Furthermore, in Jeremiah 29:11, He says that only He knows the plans for us; plans to prosper us and not to harm us.
Spending time in God's word and encountering such wonderful assurances will renew your mind and create a positive perception of life, challenges or not.
In 2022, as Colossians 4:6 says, may our speech be full of grace and seasoned with salt so we may know how to answer everyone. Speak blessings, not curses.
