A noted psychiatrist remarked that two of the saddest words in human vocabulary are ‘if only’. He believes people who get trapped by their failures spend their lives saying, ‘If only I had tried harder…if only I had been kinder to my kids…if only I had been more truthful…if only…’ The way to change that mindset is to change your vocabulary by substituting the words ‘next time’. ‘Next time I will try harder…next time I will be kinder to my kids…next time I will be more truthful.’ The Bible says, ‘You are snared by the words of your mouth.’ And a snare is a trap. Have you ever seen an animal caught in a trap, struggling to be free? Your words can do that. And they don’t just affect you, they affect others. Maybe you think we’re making too big a deal out of this. If you do – read on: ‘A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit’ (Proverbs 15:4 NKJV). ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit’ (Proverbs 18:21 NKJV). Jesus said, ‘Whoever says to this mountain, “Be removed and be cast into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says’ (Mark 11:23 NKJV). What do these Scriptures have in common? They confirm that our words breathe life (or death) into everything! So instead of defeatist talk, speak victory over your situation. Instead of speaking failure, start speaking success. When you do, God will honour the fruit of your lips.
