YES! God is the master mind reader. But it goes so much deeper than that. He reads our hearts and our soul, too. And he knows our thoughts and feelings and choices BEFORE they result in our actions.
Why is this so important for believers?
Because our thoughts are the raw ingredients that make up our words. And our words define us. They build or break relationships. They power or pulverize our efforts to emulate Christ. They hurt or help others.
The words we speak form our own LIFE NARRATIVE being expressed real time for us to hear…for others to hear…for God to hear.
That’s why we should be continually listening to our thoughts and feelings to correct…and adjust…and check them against God’s Word in a continuous, never-ending loop. To that end, here are three areas I focus on: 1) TONGUE; 2) MOTIVES; and 3) PRAYERS.
OUR TONGUE
God has promised to help us guard our mind and heart and then suppress what lives inside from being released externally where it can cause great damage. Pure words flow out of a pure heart.
“Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.” Psalms 141:3
OUR MOTIVES
We look to God for discernment on the difference between good and evil. He sees our motives and helps us sort them out according to his plan.
“Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether…” Psalm 139:4
OUR PRAYERS
God can hear and respond to our prayers because he has a first-row seat inside our soul.
“Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:12-13
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Our thoughts and words can easily become the delivery system for life’s stress and tension. Godless lies can incite our fight-flight-freeze response and turn the tongue into an adrenaline-crazed weapon seeking victory at any cost.
We cannot tame that monster on our own. Only a heart melted by the warm love of Christ can intervene. Without that transforming gift, we are left to squander every opportunity to find peace by allowing our tongues to slice up those we are commanded to love.
