Do you want your life (personal, family, etc.), business, ministry or non-profit organization to be blessed? Please allow me to ask you a few questions before addressing a major component that can directly affect our personal and professional plans.

✓  Are you praying for God to open doors of opportunity, to expand your territory and give you a far reach with your voice, gifts, skills, abilities in the area(s) that you are most passionate about?

✓  Are you asking others to pray in agreement with you?

✓  Are you meditating on Scriptures that align with your purpose?

✓  Are you endeavoring to live the principles and values that you say are important to you?

✓  Do you have a prayer strategy for your personal and professional life?

✓  Do you set and implement specific and strategic goals?

✓  Are you connecting yourself with people who will hold you accountable in reaching your goals?

Perhaps you said yes and no to a few of those questions.  Many of us desire to walk in the full blessings that God has for us don’t we? There are two areas that have the potential to adversely affect the ability for a person to receive a desired outcome to the ✓ questions I asked above, and that is the words we speak and that which we meditate on (thoughts — motives, intentions).

All through the Word we see Scriptures that direct us about the power of the tongue (words) and being careful about what we say, how we use our thoughts (mind) and words. We see counsel to be consciously aware of our motives and intentions toward each other (in other words, the reasons behind what we are saying and doing), and to be aware of our behavior. The Word is also clear about gossip, slander, even revenge toward each other for wrong doing.  The Word is sprayed with powerful passages that bring strength, convictions and instructions to us.  One of the Scriptures that has helped me for the last thirty years is Psalm 19:14 “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.” If you read the entire Psalm 19 it is powerful and you’ll see how this Psalm of David ends up with verse 14.

We see a lot of damage in the world that stems from negative words and actions. We are not responsible for the words or actions of others but we are accountable for our own. It’s not always easy to live above wrong or negative words and actions but it’s necessary in order to truly walk in the unmerited favor and exceeding blessings of God and what He has for you.

In keeping in mind with Psalm 19:14 here’s a few tips to be blessed in your personal and professional life:

1. Pray for your words, thoughts and behavior to be pleasing to God.
2. Repent quickly when you find yourself headed down the wrong path.
3. If necessary, apologize quickly and forgive easily. Not always easy to do but very rewarding when we do.
4. Be slow to speak. To respond angrily or in offense mode, or to tell someone something which more often can be perceived as gossip.
5. Be quick to listen. At times our words and thoughts go off in the wrong direction because we’ve not listened attentively to what someone is really saying.
6. Be determined to do what is acceptable in the sight of God even when it’s hard to do. Ask Him to help you.
7. When you lay your goals–personal plan, business plan, ministry or non-profit plans out before God praying for direction, wisdom, assistance and more, be sure you lay out before Him your areas of personal struggle and surrender them to Him. Those things which could hinder our ability to receive all that He desires to do in and through us.
8. Be careful about what you lay at the feet of God. If we say that He’s leading us to think, say or do a particular thing it should align with the Word and not negative thoughts or emotions.
9. Use words that edify, build up, enhance, empower and restore others and yourself. Positive words and positive thoughts reap positive behavior and positive results, just as negative reaps negative.

Remember, that everything I listed above is not about perfection so let yourself off the hook from trying to be perfect. It is however, about personal integrity and a desire to please God. If you read this far then you must be one that desires to please Him so I celebrate with you. Let’s make a point, in a world where there is so much negativity, pain, and the decrease of genuine love and respect — let us rise above that and be the heart, hope and help that people around us need and that we need from each other.

I’d love your feedback as we learn and grow together so feel free to leave a comment below.

It’s time to soar.

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