Doesn’t it feel good to just get together with your friends and dish on the latest gossip?!
I’m not going to lie, this has always been a struggle for me.
Sometimes we like to excuse ourselves that if it’s true, then it’s not gossip.
Buuuuut I think we all know a little better than that, deep down.
Plus, let’s be honest, most conversations start with “the truth” and then turn into some judgmental comments or backhanded criticism.
I have found it is much more uplifting to just make new, fun memories with friends instead!
To share our real current joys and struggles, to bond together, to create strong, positive memories.
Or as Peter put so wisely put it:
“For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile”. (1 Peter 3:10)
(By the way, “guile” means dishonesty, deceit or fraud. In case anyone needed a refresher…) 😉
But can we also reflect for a second about how we speak to ourselves?
What do we say to ourselves first thing in the morning? When we look in the mirror? When we eat a cookie? When we yell? When we put on another TV show?
Are we speaking with evil and guile towards ourselves?
Peter promises that we can grow to love life and have good days when we get rid of the guile in our conversation, and I think this can totally apply to ourselves.
I LOVE LIFE and have GOOD DAYS when I stop deceitfully thinking that my life is only filled with tough stuff.
I LOVE LIFE and have GOOD DAYS when I stop worrying about what I see in the mirror and instead focus on what my body can do.
I LOVE LIFE and have GOOD DAYS when I create a positive conversation with myself. I give myself a break. I am kind to myself. I forgive myself.
When we examine our conversations with other people, it is easy to see how refraining from evil and guile can create happier and more meaningful connections.
But I think we can improve that happiness even more when we examine our inner conversations and remove the degrading thoughts that the devil would love to derail us with.
And we can slowly find ways to love life and have more “good days”.
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
