January 29 Devotion - The Divinity of Silence

 He who guards his mouth and his tongue guards himself from troubles.

                                                  

مَنْ يَصُونُ فَمَهُ وَلِسَانَهُ عَنِ اللَّغْوِ يَحْفَظُ نَفْسَهُ مِنَ الْمَتَاعِبِ.

 

                                                Proverbs 21:23

 

Here are 20 situations where the Bible recommends that we be silent:

 

 

1. Be silent In the heat of anger - (Proverbs 14:17)

 

2. Be silent When you don't have all the facts - (Proverbs 18:13)

 

3. Be silent When you haven't verified the story -(Deuteronomy 17:6)

 

4. Be silent If your words will offend a weaker person - (1 Corinthians 8:11)

 

5. Be silent When it is time to listen - (Proverbs 13:1)

 

6. Be silent When you are tempted to make light of holy things - (Ecclesiastics 5:2)

 

7. Be silent When you are tempted to joke about sin - (Proverbs 14:9)

 

8. Be silent If you would be ashamed of your words later - (Proverbs 8:8)

 

9. Be silent If your words would convey the wrong impression - (Proverbs 17:27)

 

10. Be silent If the issue is none of your business - (Proverbs 14:10)

 

11. Be silent When you are tempted to tell an outright lie - (Proverbs 4:24)

 

12. Be silent If your words will damage someone else's reputation - (Proverbs16:27)

 

13. Be silent If your words will damage a friendship- (Proverbs 16:28)

 

14. Be silent When you are feeling critical - (James 3:9)

 

15. Be silent If you can't say it without screaming it - (Proverbs 25:28)

 

16. Be silent If your words will be a poor reflection of the Lord or your friends and family - (1 Peter 2:21-23)

 

17. Be silent If you may have to eat your words later - (Proverbs 18:21)

 

18. Be silent If you have already said it more than one time - (Proverbs 19:13)

 

19. Be silent When you are tempted to flatter a wicked person - (Proverbs 24:24)

 

20. Be silent When you are supposed to be working instead - (Proverbs 14:23)

 

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, please teach me the divinity of silence and help me to stay silent when silence is the best response. Give me wisdom and discernment Lord to follow Your directions and guidance. Lord help me to seek and depend on The Holy Spirit; which You have placed within me; in all circumstances. Teach me Lord and help me to surrender to the direction of The Holy Spirit. Abba Father, thank You for loving me with a deep, unfailing, and everlasting love, thank You for Your abundant blessings and for the riches of Your grace upon my life. To Him who is able to keep me from stumbling and to present me before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy, to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore. Amen. Jude 1:24-25

 

In Him,

Wagdi Henein