By now, we can probably agree that our mouths can get us in trouble. The problem is, we can’t live without them. We can’t decide to never speak again. So, what do we do? According to the apostle Paul, we can remember, surrender, and confess.

Romans 12:1-2 ESV
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

When you remember, you acknowledge that you are a powerful person because your words have tremendous force. Every time you open your mouth, especially when you’re angry, frustrated, or wound up, you have the ability to do harm. At any moment, your potential for good and your potential for evil are unlimited.

Once you remember, you have to surrender. This is an invitation to surrender your mouth and your words to your Father in heaven. The apostle Paul, when he wrote a letter to Christians living in Rome in the first century, said that Christians are to offer all the parts of their bodies as living sacrifices to God.

Finally, we have to confess when we mess up. And we know from the book of James that we’re going to mess up. This isn’t an if; this is a when. Remember, your tongue can’t be tamed. You manage it, you guard it, and when you mess up and those words come out, you immediately confess. Don’t explain. Don’t make excuses. Own the fires you have begun with your words.

The good news is that we have the power to avoid the consequences of an untamed tongue if we choose to take Paul’s wisdom to heart and surrender this powerful tool to God.