How to Keep Your Mouth Shut

Keep your mouth shut. 

If you’ve known me for more than a few minutes, you know those are considered fighting words. I’m not a big fan of quiet time.

But sometimes, you have to go against your nature to fully nurture your heartseed.

Just because you can say it doesn’t mean you should.

4 Tips to Help Keep Your Mouth Shut

• Trust God
• Stop Feeling the Need to Explain Yourself
• Let God of the Need to Be Right
• Focus On Your Doing, Not Theirs

That Time When My Husband Was Right

My mind kept shouting to me to keep my mouth shut – or at least one side of it did. The other side took up a fighting stance to beat down the side that wanted me to stay quiet. I had something to say, and they needed to hear it whether they wanted to or now.

“They can’t hear you.” I know God was speaking to my soul, but my mouth wanted to “release the hounds” on these folks. They needed it. 

I’m reminded of the time I tried to talk to my son while he was watching television. I stepped in front of him where he could see me and said my piece. Then I started to walk away when I noticed my husband laughing in the corner.

“What?”

“He didn’t hear a word you said.”

“Yes, he did. I was looking right at him.” My declaration only made my husband laugh even more. I returned to my position in front of my son. “What did I just say?” My husband was going to be smothered by his laughter when I proved him wrong.

I’m not sure what my son mumbled back to me, but it literally had none of the words I had given him. My husband was right. 

Even though what I want to share with someone may be focused on blessings and possibilities, if they don’t want to hear, they won’t. My words could be pointing directly to the promises or pulled from the word, but if they are closed off to what I’m saying, then they won’t hear it.

If you look closely, you may even notice someone spiritually covering their ears when you offer words they don’t want.

And why should they listen to me? They are comfortable and content where they are, even if it’s not where they want to be, because at least they get to do what they want.

Keep Your Mouth Shut

Trust God

You can change them – not with all the words in the world. You have to come to a place where you trust that God knows what He is doing and let him handle it. 

I spent more years than I care to admit trying to talk my husband into changing in the way I had determined he needed to go. Finally, I chose to get out of God’s way and trust Him to handle it. Slowly (and yes, much slower than I had on my timeline), my husband began to grow and shift. 

When I trust God, He makes amazing things happen.

Stop Feeling the Need to Explain Yourself

Your journey is your journey, and you don’t have to explain it or apologize for it. As long as you are leaning into your unique design and walking out God’s will s your authentic self, your actions are all the explanation you need – and in truth, your actions are more powerful than your words.

Let God of the Need to Be Right

The most words I’ve wasted happened when I insisted in proving I was right. Does it really matter that the quote should have been “be wise as serpents” and not “be wise as foxes?” No, but did I force the issue anyway. Yes. And it hurt a relationship.

Instead of trying to prove how smart you are or how much more you know, lean into caring for the other person and keep your mouth shut. If it’s not going to hurt them, let it go.

Focus On Your Doing Not Theirs

If I’m so busy focusing on what I need to do and doing what I’m uniquely called to do, I don’t have the time (or the energy) to worry about what others are (or are not) doing.

Faith Building

Matthew 12:36 

For every idle word that I speak, I will have to give an account for them.

The first time I realized what this means, I panicked. Talking was always one of my greatest superpowers. If there was a moment of quiet, I had the words to fill it up.

For every barren (without purpose or useless) words that I speak – every useless word – I will have to explain myself to God. Talking when others aren’t listening is probably one of the more useless ways to use words. I don’t like the idea of having to explain to God why I wasted the words He’s given me.

Stop Talking About it

Don’t let your words get the better of you. Choose to listen more, watch longer, and only speak when directed by God. If you leave the words to Him, then when you speak it will matter.

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Learning Feeds the Heart

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