Working on not cursing

[nebula]

I don't use swear words.

So if someone were to ask me, "Do you curse?" I would reply, "No."

But one time things were not going right, and I got mad and grumbled about it. As I was grumbling, a thought entered my head, which I believe to have been the Holy Spirit, "Stop cursing!"

I was taken aback.

"That's cursing?" I thought back.

"Yes. Think about it."

In a few second, the pieces came together in my brain ("pieces" being Scriptures and teachings), and I had to admit that yes, this was indeed cursing.

I had not thought of grumbling and complaining as cursing before.

So, I've been trying to make the effort to stop cursing when little inconveniences pop up, a series of little mishaps interrupt my ability to fix something, or the like - you know all those things we get uptight over.

I am wondering if anyone else has worked on this? What did you do? How did you do it?

At first I would force myself to say, "Bless God. Bless God. Bless God." But although that may have gotten me to silence the bad thoughts, it didn't calm my emotions down nor help me feel better or develop an attitude of praise.

So I've been starting to pray in tongues, and that actually calms my emotions down, so I can mean it when I would say, "Bless the Lord!"

But I need to get my mind engaged, too. Problem is, my mind is blank. I'm sure this is a part of my chronic depression problem (people with chronic depression aren't known for being positive thinkers, if you know what I mean).

So, how to develop non-cursing thoughts when things go wrong?

[Matthitjah]

Sis the more I struggle, the more entangled I become.

You have to die to this part of you and stop struggling, then allow Jesus to live there.

He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Oh' and it's a daily effort to move out of the way and to allow Jesus to have His way.

peace,

Dave

[exrockstar]

i usually try to surround myself by positive things so i don't have to worry about cursing thoughts.

[nebula]

OK, what does "stop struggling" look like? Can you give an actual example?

[Believer1997]

I just have to ask forgiveness everyday and try to do better. Mamma used to tell me that everything I thought could be read on my face - I've learned to control that (somewhat)... but, occasionally the potty-mouth will run through my mind.... I'm am doing better because I used to just blurt it out... I think you are being a little hard on yourself for considering 'grumbling and complaining' as cursing... we are all only human and are prone to feel a complaint or grumble at times... Cursing a blue streak - that's something altogether different - IMO.

[Guest LadyC]

i don't know for sure if i have ever worked on this consciously or not.... but i think i need to!

[Joshua-777]

Colossians 3:8-15

8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.

12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

Philippians 4:4-9

4. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

[Matthitjah]

i usually try to surround myself by positive things so i don't have to worry about cursing thoughts.

For me it looks like this;

Lord, I'm failing in this area, help me to side with you against myself. I'm tired of stumbling and skinning my knee's. Your Glory is what I seek. I ask You to crucify my fleshy desires in this area and to raise up your ressurected and victorious life over it.

Then I pay attention to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and when the situation arises I seek the Lord's Grace rather than my own strength. If I continue to operate in my own minds eye with the notion that I will defeat this situation. I realize that I'm operating in my own strength and ultimately what I've noticed is that I fail all the more. I am a very "tenacious"individual and will not let go of something easily especially where it concerns a failure of my own strength. Therefore, I have to be real careful to step aside. (a dear sister at my Church recently told me when she asked for me to pray for someone that the Lord had led her to believe that I was like that in the Spirit, tenacious, and that I wouldn't let go easily)

I also just realized something and that this thread has actually pointed me in the right direction in an area where I'm failing. Thank you sister.

peace,

dave

[2Joyful]

Neb,

This has been a battle for me and really I just came face to face with it this week. Now here you have a thread on it. Could God be trying to tell me something?

I sometmes grumbler when people don't give me an opportunity to speak. In my mind, I go back and forth telling them what I think . The Holy Spirit is brining this to the light. Just yesterday at work, I was explaining the correct way to do something. This person is a male and has no understanding how things are suppose to be tastefully done. His way is to just leave things after working with them as if its a construction site. I know that if you are repairing things and have to leave, you should stack things up, put somethings out of the reach of small children or someone who may walk in and trip, causing harm and the church will be placed in a situation to be sued. To make a long story short, I was able to clear some things up, but in the end fought with this person in my mind, by grumping. Did I win? YES! But the Holy Ghost pressed me and ask me was I right? NO!

During these times, I pray and ask God to forgive me, then help me. He has shown me those complaining and grumping words are idle thoughts spoken out loud, and it doesn't matter weather unspoken. He shared that I will be judged by those words one day. I haven't not conquered this issue yet, but a new found revelation is to repent the moment it is caught and before I go to bed to make sure I ask for forgiveness of any act that may have been overlooked, plus plead for deliverance.

[Fez]

Nebula try this. It worked for me.

Does not matter if it is an inanimate object like a motor cycle you are trying to fix (I used to kick that sort of thing until it learned some sense, and once threw an office chair that refused to be fixed through a window...), or a person (never threw one of them trough a window...wanted to, but never did).

Use the 30 second rule. Take 30 seconds to stop doing whatever you are doing and just concentrate on forgiveness. 30 seconds is a long time!

Try it at home group. Say to everyone "sit dead still and do nothing until I speak". Then ask how long it was. I have received answers from 30 seconds to three minutes.

If you cannot forgive in the first 30 seconds it is going to be hard to forgive ever.

It takes practice, but shows results. It did for me.