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You poisonous snakes! How can you evil people say anything good? Your mouth says what comes from inside you.

Matthew 12:34

What’s your stress vocabulary? When you stub your toe, what comes out of your mouth? When you drop your plate, what do you say? What kinds of words do you use when things don’t go so well and times get stressful?

The Bible says that what comes out your mouth is what’s inside you. Of course, how you talk seems to change based on what you’re feeling at the time, so the best gauge of your heart is to see what comes out of your mouth when the tough times hit. Do you complain about it or pray about it? Do you worry with your words or hope with them? The funny thing about words is that your ears hear

whatever you say, and the more they hear something, the more your mind starts to believe it. So if you cut yourself down when things go bad, you reinforce how bad, weak, or stupid you feel. But that’s not what God wants from your mouth. He wants your mouth to be used to glorify him. Do you think that complaint, fear, worry, or panic glorify him? The answer is pretty obvious.

So what’s the answer to your stress vocabulary? Stress preparation: study God’s Word. Learn the verses that will help you through the tough times. When you memorize them, they can be the first thing out of your mouth when trouble hits. And pray more. Don’t let the sin of prayerlessness get you off track by pushing the thought of God out of your mind. The more God you get into your life, the less stress will come out of your mouth.