Overflow

  Time together gives us ample time to overflow our mouths. Even just a few hours can reveal so much about what we have been putting into our hearts. I always have at least one child home with me, so this is not a new norm for me, but for many of us, it's just a different time. Even if I'm used to it, I'm not used to my children being home under these uncertain circumstances. 

  And so what do we do when our mouths overflow isn't what we want it to be? 

  Prayer. Too often this is not my default as it should be. Only the Holy Spirit can help me overcome my mouth...ultimately, my heart. James says that no man can tame the tongue, so why do I always look to my own effort? 

  Flee. 2 Timothy 2:22 says to "flee the evil desires of youth." While it may not specifically be talking about this type of sin, I believe it's wise to flee from evil in all forms. This may mean fleeing the room when your child isn't listening and you're going to lose your mind (and temper). This may mean taking a walk outside to cool off. Maybe you need to flee from social media or the media for awhile so that you're not walking in fear or comparison.

  Capture your thoughts. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says (in part) to "take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ." How do we do that? In Jennie Allen's book Get Out of Your Head, she implores us to interrupt our toxic thoughts with this one thought: I have a choice. She goes on to say:
  "We are not subject to our behaviors, genes, or circumstances.
   We are not subject to our passions, lusts, or emotions.
   We are not subject to our thoughts.
   We have a choice because we are conquerors who possess weapons to destroy strongholds.
   Now, we rarely get to choose our circumstances, but Paul said we have a choice about how we think about those sometimes-challenging things."

  Grace. I'm not talking about an allowance to do whatever we want. Romans 6:1 tells us no to that, but what I'm talking about is what John says in 1 John 3:18-22 is talking about our good works. When we do good works (out of an overflow of love from Christ), then our hearts don't condemn us because God is greater than our hearts (who try to condemn us). Remember, for those of us in Christ, we are not under the condemnation of the law because Christ has paid that sin-debt for us (Romans 8:1). And so just don't stay in your sin but don't beat yourself up over it either. Repent of it and turn from it; don't sit and wallow in it or the condemnation of it. Move on and do good "in deed and in truth" (1 John 3:18).

  Declutter. If you've ever been on a diet of any kind, you may be familiar with the phrase "junk in, junk out." Pretty much it means that if you're feeding your body with junk, then junk is going to...ahem, come out. The same is true for our minds. So, take time to evaluate what you've been allowing into your mind. This includes:
  -What are you listening to?
  -What are you reading?

  -Who are you listening to?

  -What are you watching? 

Just like when our children watch snippy little shows online where the characters are super rude to their parents, then our kids start being super rude toward us - we shut it down. Do the same for yourself. If you are allowing gossip to come out of your mouth, who are you hanging out with (or were hanging out with) that gossips? If you're meditating on fear over this pandemic, what is the media outlet you're watching or listening to telling you? If you're way bummed at extra time with your kids, is a podcaster you listen to being really sarcastic and undervaluing motherhood? I don't know. There are so many avenues but the truth is that sometimes we think that because we are adults, we can listen, watch, and read whatever we want. This is not true. Our minds are a battlefield and we are at war with an unseen enemy that uses things of this world to help him battle. We must battle back with a sound mind and Scripture. 

  I have been praying over my mouth for a looooooooong time. I know the battle is long and wearisome for me and maybe you, too. But don't give up. Don't get weary. The harvest is waiting for those who continue on. 

To steal a tag line from my favorite podcaster (Today by the Way's Indiana Adams), I'm cheering for you! Have a great day (I started to type Tuesday, realized I think it's Wednesday but simultaneously realized I don't need to really know what day it is).