Day 26 - The Discouraging Tongue

Discourage - to deprive of courage or confidence, dishearten, dissuade

Do you feel it is a gift when someone can see past the surface of something and find its potential?
When we were searching for a house, I was too overwhelmed by the move to want to purchase a fixer-upper. I became blind to the possibilities because of the way I was feeling and never looked past that.
I envy the gift some people have to see the beautiful potential of a home that needs a little tlc.
I sometimes longed for that gift to see beautiful things in people that weren't evident. The more I get to know God and who I am because of Him and in Him, the more He is opening my eyes to the potential in others.
God knows the potential in us, he created it. He knows the beauty underneath all of our stuff and walls and sin. He takes great delight in unearthing it and creating something beautiful. He is the potter and we are the clay.
The more I trust Him, the more I see the beauty in others and I can use my tongue to encourage which means to inspire courage and confidence.
My lack of confidence sometimes only allowed me to be selfish and not believe in others. It is hard to believe in others, if you do not believe in yourself. Discouraging words kill potential.
As Deborah Pegues asks, 'What about you? When you see others faced with negative circumstances, do you lose hope in their ability to succeed? Further, can you listen to someone's dreams and plans without making disheartening remarks? ...Even if you cannot envision the dreams of another, at least agree to stand in faith with him for God's perfect will to be done regarding the proposed endeavor... If perchance, you are confronted by a discourager, do not let him derail your destiny. Very graciously let him know your eyes are fixed on God, who specializes in doing the impossible.'
I agree with the author in that there is enough negativity in the world, we do not have to add to it by depriving courage to someone with our discouraging words. My heart is to speak life with my tongue, to build others up and encourage them. This was one of the reasons I developed my blog name and space. 2EncourageFFIC. To encourage freedom & forgiveness in Christ. This is the potential of hope.
Seek to affirm and inspire those around you. The beauty of being encouraging is that is blesses and builds you in the process as well as speak life into someone else.
Speaking the Truth
Romans 12:6-8 'We have different gifts according to the grace given us: If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.'
Hebrews 3:12,13, 'See to it brothers, that noe of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.'

Excerpted from 30 Days to Taming Your Tongue by Deborah Smith Pegues (Harvest House Publishers 2005). Autographed copy of the book and workbook available at www.confrontingissues.com.