The Heart of the Mouth
My husband and I are Elders in our church. We have served in this role for over 10 years. One of the most precious things that we are allowed to do is to pray at the alter with our church family on Sundays at the close of service.
God has done many miraculous things during those prayer times. Just last week, we were visiting a church in our city that was making a gift to our local pregnancy resource center. At the close of the service a couple came up to us with their two young daughters. The family of 4 was glowing and the woman was clearly pregnant. All 4 cried as they reminded us and thanked us for praying for them at our church a few years ago. Their marriage had been falling apart as the result of an abortion chosen during financial crisis and life breakdown. Mike and I prayed for them with all of the passion of our hearts and both clearly remembered that time of prayer and those little girls. We clearly remembered asking God to do for this couple what He had done for our marriage so many years before.
It was a thrill to see and hear what God had done.
God answers prayer.
This Sunday, we had a beautiful young woman come up for prayer. She tenderly and humbly asked for prayer that God would put a guard over her mouth so that the things she said would be a Godly influence in her home, with her husband and her children.
She confessed that she sometimes spouted off mean words to him alone and in front of their children.
Oh my.
My own husband was standing next to me, holding my hand. I couldn’t very well tell her of all the ways I had “mastered” this challenge. Visions of Sapphira swirled in my head (Acts 5).
I simply cleared my throat and told her that I would be honored to pray with her if she would pray back with me for the same thing. We ALL need this prayer on occasion. I simply could not pray as if it was not something I am continually needing and seeking for myself as well—especially with my honey listening—and GOD!
I wrapped my arms around her and cried as I prayed. I was so touched by her humility. I was so convicted by her heart.
The verse God gave me as I prayed was…
Luke 6:45 The good (woman) brings good things out of the good stored up in (her) heart, and the evil (woman) brings evil things out of the evil stored up in (her) heart. For out of the overflow of (her) heart (her) mouth speaks.
My appeal to God sunk into those words along with hers as we asked Him to equip us by His Holy Spirit, to fill our hearts with His Words, His promises, His truth, His love, His blessing, His goodness, His self control.
We prayed for the fullness of heart to minister to our families.
We asked for hearts that would overflow with kind and encouraging words to our husbands.
We ask for hearts that would overflow with a sweetness that would fill our homes.
My husband joined our prayer asking the same thing for husbands.
I am praying the same thing today…on Monday.
If you are a wife and mother, can you relate to our prayers? Do you ever struggle with saying mean things or cutting things? Do you ever struggle with some bad stuff in your heart spitting out of your mouth?
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Oh my yes…I can relate! I posted about the same thing just the other day, in my post, “Gold.”
It’s painful to see the cold, hard truth about our sinful ways, but I’m so glad God loves us too much to leave us the way we are.
Thanks so much for this encouraging post! Blessings to you today!
We need to continually ask God to examine our hearts and to ask him to help us keep a pure heart before Him. Without God’s help we can nothing and its impossible to be an overcomer without Jesus in our hearts
God Bless you and may you continue your work and be blessed
Ladies,
I agree. This is one area that I am called to take personal inventory on a regular basis. I wish I could say that after 34 years of marriage I had a handle on my tongue at all times!! But NOT!
Thanks for your sweet words and your visit today,
Bless you girls,
Pat
Oh let me tell you, I have been that evil wife so much more often than I care to admit. With my mouth I did my husband harm for so many years. How I regret those times…those words. Thankfully, the Lord is gracious and forgiving. He used my husband to show me how horribly my words hurt–whether I meant them to or not.
I pray that I never go back to that pit again!!
Leah
Leah…, unfortunately I know what you mean 🙂 Let’s don’t go back–that pit IS the pits!!
Blessings girl,
Pat
Wow! Great post—I needed to read this today! Just this weekend I heard my toddler rant like I have too often heard myself. I am so glad God never gives up on us and uses other sisters in Christ to speak to our hearts. I am going to post this verse somewhere where I can always see it.
Oh I can SO relate! It’s awful what comes out of my mouth sometimes!! Prayers all around!
Hi Gwen and Jenn
…Isn’t it painful to watch our kids “copy cat” our ugly stuff :(. Mine are grown and I STILL sometimes see myself in some of their “stuff”…not that they have much of course, but sometimes :). I am ever so grateful for God’s amazing grace!! As you say Jenn..all around!