Our thoughts and words are two other elements in our spiritual health. They are really tied together as a two-sided coin!
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 1 Corinthians 13:11
Paul describes a childish behavior by outward indicator of one’s speech and an inward indicator of one’s understanding and thoughts. If our words are childish, they stem from childish thoughts and understanding.
Our words are a good indicator of the type of thoughts we entertain as well as the prism by which we see the people and the circumstances around us.For example, if we have a tendency to feel like a victim when others disregard or shun us, it can generally lead us to gossip or complaining about them. It is in those instances that we need to make a decision not to entertain those kinds of thoughts. If our thoughts don’t change in that area, we will continue to use our words to describe ourselves as victims and complain about others who treat us wrong.
If we want to remain healthy spiritually we need to face the truth that we can’t change anyone except our response to them. There will always be people who will push our buttons and make us feel less. The sheer fact of letting other people have control over us can cause a great feeling of victimization.
A sign of healthy spiritual growth will be in the way we think or speak about ourselves and others. Our relationships are a good indicator of how well we use our words and our thoughts. If we have ongoing struggles in relationships, we should wonder how healthy we are spiritually.
Spiritual health should have an impact on the quality of our relationship with others. If we find ourselves in continual conflict always frustrated by others’ behavior but not coming to a resolution of a problem, we should ask ourselves: “Has the word of God done any pruning of my choice of words? Am I allowing others to control my spiritual health? Am I convicted of how I speak about others? Do I passively allow my mind to think whatever it wishes about others? What does it take for me to grow up in these areas?”
