The Mind's Scapegoat

As Christians, we are often told that the tongue is a  source of great power, but have you ever noticed that you can complete a full thought, in complete sentences, without even opening your mouth? So where, exactly, does that power lie? 

I tell myself a lot of horrible things...on a regular basis. 

The running list of things I say to myself daily, without ever even opening my mouth, would make any feeling human being cry.

*I am ugly.
*I look horrible without any make up.
*My gosh, I'm fat.
*I'm disgusting.
*I'm a horrible mother.
*I'm lazy.
*I'm so awkward.
*I'm so fat. (did I mention that one)

...and so much more that I don't even dare to type out. I call myself names, tell myself I am not good enough, and squash my own dreams, without ever opening my mouth to speak. 

I wouldn't dream of saying these things to another person. In fact, I don't even think these things about another person. Yet I tell myself these things all the time.

See the issue of controlling the tongue is minor in comparison to that of the mind. And I believe God's word knew this to be metaphorical from the start, but so many of us only focus on the literal aspects. 

If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.

True, true...

There are lots of Bible verses about the controlling of the tongue, detailing how we should address others.

I don't know about you, but I do not have any problems loving on and building other people up. I can very easily see what is good and kind in others, and encourage them in that. 

See, the mind would love for us to believe that the tongue is the problem. But this right here, above, is harder than keeping your mouth shut. Stop allowing the tongue to take the fall for the powers of the mind.

My prayer for myself, and for you reading this, struggling with your own misconceptions about yourself, is that in focusing on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable, God might show us ourselves, so that we may love ourselves the way that He loves us. Because there is no way, He wants us to speak to ourselves that way.