War of Words - rebuilding your world of talk.

I have been reading a great book, War of Words, by Paul David Tripp focused on the topic of getting to the heart of communication struggles. It has been very, very convicting for me thus far, yet very helpful. I do admit I have along way to go in communicating in a way that is always glorifying to God. Tripp in chapter 8 of the book gives very practical tips on changing the way you communicate or "rebuilding your world of talk". The list is:

1. Don't give into regret.

• Don't be paralyzed with "if onlys"
• rest in God's sovereign wisdom
• The God who forgives also restores, rebuilds, and reconciles

2. Embrace gospel hope.

• Don't allow self to look at our communication struggles as giants that cannot be defeated.
• We are recipients of grace that abounds wherever sin does.
• Trouble does not mean that God has forsaken us.
• God's power is not only in us, but at work in us!

3. Examine your fruit.

• What fruit is produced by your communication?

4. Uncover your roots.

• "For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks"
• People and situations do not cause us to speak, we do!

5. Seek Forgiveness.

• What specific sins of communication is the Lord calling me to confess to Him or to others?

6. Freely grant forgiveness.

• We need to be willing to let go of another's offense before God.
• We need to be willing to forgive anyone who comes seeking it.

7. Change the Rules.

• A specific commitment to a new way of speaking needs to follow sweet obedience of forgiveness.

8. Look for opportunities.

• Situations you once dreaded now become opportunities to experience the enabling grace of the Lore and exercise newfound character and obedience.

9. Choose your words.

• it is folly to speak in haste
• think before we speak!

10. Confess your weaknesses.

• One sure sign that we have not really understood the gospel is when we continues to be afraid of, discouraged by, and unwilling to accept our weaknesses.
• Christ came precisely because we are weak!

11. Don't give the Devil and opportunity.

• We can commit ourselves to the courage of honesty.
• We need to commit ourselves to the humility of approachability.