Bible Verses About Marriage
God’s Purpose for Every Woman
Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. — Matthew 12:34
“All you do is yell at the kids.” Those are not encouraging words to hear from your husband. Like nails piercing the deepest part of my being, his words challenged my fitness as a mother. I became defensive immediately. Inside I was yelling back all the excuses I could muster up for why I had to yell. Then I heard the small whispering voice of the Holy Spirit convicting me. I realized my husband was right.
Why did I always yell? After all, I had Jesus in my heart. Why wasn’t His love flowing from me? I began to pray and soon came to understand that the yelling was just a symptom of a deeply rooted problem: a septic heart. The heart and mouth are closely related. If I want to stop yelling at my kids and start expressing God’s love to them, it’s necessary for me to begin filling my heart with godly thoughts.
The word “septic,” according to Webster’s Dictionary, means “to make rotten” or “having the nature of sepsis.” The word “sepsis” means “the presence of disease-causing organisms or toxins in the blood.” My heart was unclean. Anger was a toxin in my spirit, which was a side-effect of unresolved issues in my heart. I’d been carrying many unresolved issues for years.
If you are like me, you may have a tough time taming your tongue or controlling your temper. We have to realize that our heart may be poisoned by the toxins of anger, resentment, unmet expectations, unforgiveness, bitterness, and unfulfilled dreams.
I’ve discovered four simple truths that jump-started my cleansing process. The toxins are not completely gone, but I take the antioxidant of God’s Word daily to combat their effects. Try it! And you don’t need a spoonful of sugar to help this medicine go down.
Renew your heart every morning (Isaiah 50:4-5). We have a whole day of living to do, and we need to set our mind on Him and receive His guidance.
Repent daily (Psalm 51:10). We can’t carry the burden and conviction of our sin from day to day. Lighten your load.
Rend your heart often (Joel 2:12-13). Examine your heart honestly and ask God to help you identify those things that are not of Him.
Rest your heart when needed (Psalm 127:2). Though not always practical, sometimes lying down for a quick nap is just what the heart and soul need.
Dear Lord, You are slow to anger. Make that my desire. Help me submit totally to Your control so I can be a reflection of Your love to my family and those who cross my path. I realize love does not flow from a septic heart, full of past hurts and sins. I want to surrender the things in my heart that are not like You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Application Steps
Ask God to help you to be slow to anger. Ask your family to forgive you for your behavior and to pray for you. Stop, leave the room, and pray before you yell. If you can’t leave, still stop and pray. Ask a friend to hold you accountable for your temper.
Copyright © Lysa TerKeurst and Rachel Olsen, published by Harvest House Publishers. Used with Permission.
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