Devotional For Women

For the Scriptures say, "If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies."

1 Peter 3:10, NLT

We are all familiar with a common struggle of our tongues "speaking evil": we call it gossip. From childhood we know what it's like to be the one gossiped about--and to be the one gossiping. Either way, gossip hurts. I have found myself on both sides. I know the hurt of having my character questioned and my life becoming an open book; I know what it feels like to have exposed another to such hurt. I've also realized how easy it is for the pain of the sinned-against to become the solace of the sinner: to quickly move the target off ourselves and onto someone else. It can become a vicious cycle. As women, we have a healthy, natural desire to share our lives with one another in story, and we can experience intense emotional involvement with daily situations. This gives us a powerful means of connection with others. But it can also leave us vulnerable to the sin of gossip. We may be tempted to gossip to make ourselves look or feel better, but don't we find it does just the opposite? We end up looking and feeling worse. As the verse above tells us, in order to enjoy life--a life centered on Christ--we need to control our tongues. Perhaps you know the pain of hearing yourself spoken ill of. Or maybe you’re the one who's been talking about other people. It's never too late to ask for forgiveness--from the person whom you’ve hurt or from God. God will always forgive you, and he will give you the strength to walk away from any temptation, including the temptation to speak poorly about others.