True Confessions!
Hello, my friends who visit here at Laced With Grace. Do you know that Laced With Grace will be one year old next month? It has been a privilege to write and share a tiny bit of my life with you. I am humbled and thankful for each of you who stop in to share lessons learned as we journey together as children of God.
After spending these many months together it is time. Today I must confess to you that I suffer from a terrible and debilitating disease. Symptoms and outbreaks occur at the most inopportune times. They leave me bereft and defeated. It can take months to recover from a severe attack. I am ashamed to tell you my disease is self-inflicted. I have Footitis aka Foot-in-mouth disease.
I have a knack, no a gift, for sticking my size six foot in my mouth and creating havoc. Attacks are inevitably followed by remorse, guilt, and shame. I usually am haunted by the aftermath for months. 
I am especially susceptible to a Footitis outbreak when I visit certain family members. I open my mouth and deliver a zinger or pronounce my opinion without regard to the consequences. Over the years God has been teaching me to control this disease with His good ole’ fashioned remedies; prayer and His healing word.
Last week our Lord decided it was time to put His healing ability to the test. I attended my brother’s funeral which was certain to stir raw emotions and it was in Las Vegas, a town which is a spiritual stronghold of evil. The combination had Footitis written all over it.
Several days before I left home, I brought this potential epidemic before the Lord. He lovingly provided me with the medication I needed to remain free from relapse. It is this verse:
James 1:19 (NLT) Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.
I began to write this verse out in my prayer journal, on scraps of paper, on my computer, everywhere, during the week. I said it aloud repeatedly. I asked my daughter to remind me of this verse. We said it to each other on the road to Vegas. I focused on the first portion, be quick to listen and slow to speak. What power in its simplicity.
Of course the inevitable happened. During a lunch in Las Vegas a condescending, sarcastic remark made a direct hit upon my feelings. My anger rose immediately. Scathing words of retort formed in my mouth. I was poised, on the verge of spewing ugliness all over the place. It was at that exact minute the Holy Spirit flashed James 1:19 in front of my mind. He said, “I want you to remember the last half of this verse, be slow to get angry.”
I could literally feel the words of retort, like blocks, sitting in my mouth. I willed myself to swallow them. With a large gulp, down they went. I literally gulped.
I did not say anything I would regret later. I will not be hounded by regret or shame following this visit. I pray my example was noticed by my family and it will affect them the next time we speak. The Word of God is alive and active. I really understand the meaning of this statement. It is ALIVE! LIVING!
Now that I have returned home, I can’t wait to see the next scripture God will bring to me to experience in living color. I hope it is something a little easier. (God, I like Psalm 23:2.)
Perhaps you also suffer from Footitis. Today I am sharing from my cup of healing water that flows from His throne. The cure for Footitis is James 1:19.
Lord our God, Great Healer of physical disease and every disease of the heart. We give you thanks. Your living word is more powerful than we understand. Thank you for revealing just a glimpse of the power in our possession to control ourselves. Your humble and thankful servants.
Thank you for sharing a part of your day with me. I treasure our friendship.
From someone else who suffers this disease your words are a great reminder of the prescription we need filled. It’s amazing how the Word of God is so active and powerful in these situations. Praise God that we have what we need to be healed! Blessings on you…
Oh my! You got me on that one! Hook, line and sinker, until I kept reading more, then I “got it.”….I took me a bit to figure out where you were going. Great way to write and draw readers in with your unique style.
I was really concerned at first when I was reading. It was a great way to draw the reader in. I think many of us struggle with this same disease. Thanks for the visual.
Hi Lynn,
I’m sorry about your brother. I’m happy that you were able to put God’s word into practice while you were with your family last week. I like Psalms 23:2 also, (hint, hint God). If only it was that easy. Thanks for sharing, it’s encouraging to hear that there are others who share the same struggles and are a little less than perfect at times.
I, too, suffer from Footitis. And so have many around me. James 1:19 was one of the 1st verses my parents taught me – if you knew me, you’d understand why!
Well Lynn, you hit me yet again! (or should I say He did?)
My mouth disease is not as bad as it used to be “thank the Lord”…but I still need daily medicating! Circumstances of late have triggered some nasty mouth sores…..apply medication immediately!
Then in the book I just finished (so I could “give-it-away”) taught me something else about my disease. It can (and did mine) affect your prayer life. So, more ointment please. It may burn a bit, sting even, but without it…..the disease kills.
THANK YOU Lynn for sharing this. You’ll never know this side of heaven how much this girl needed it!
I love this Lynn. I tend to suffer from the same affliction. My mouth is off and running way before my brain is in gear. The Lord has spoken to me too about this. I am trying – with His help – to be more of a listener than a talker. There are times I have to literally bite my tongue. The verse you shared is just perfect. Thanks so much.
Hey Lynn,
I finally got to read this today. I think we’re on the same wavelength with writing scriptures down. LOL! This is such an awesome testimony of how God’s Word can really work in us if we USE it. And let it. Thank you for sharing. 🙂 HUGS!!!
Oh my! Do I need to remember that verse or what? I need to listen more, speak less and bite my tongue when I’m angry.
I love that you literally gulped. LOL I can just see you!
Thanks for this!
Size 6–Honey, I’m size 9 or 9.5. Imagine all the fancy praying i have to do to get THOSE feet outta my mouth. 🙂 Seriously, you are so right, and what a lovely, pertinent verse. Every time I get silly and think that the Bible has “nothing new”, or is (dare I say…a bit dry), I am gobsmacked by the living, breathing verses which speak to me, exactly where I am. God is so very patient and gracious to me and my mouth. Thanks for a wonderful reminder of God’s love for us and our need to be obedient more than opinionated.xxxooogretchen
Lynn,thanks for this wonderful post.
Be quick to listen and slow to speak, slow to get angry, it is also my lesson in life.
That cute foot-pic is yours, the same color nail=polish-oil as mine.And my feet is size 6,too. 🙂
Thanks for sharing. I’m suffering myself. Sometimes, without meaning to, my tongue runs ahead of me. Am so guilty. it’s an internal battle sometimes. I must ruefully admit that I fail sometimes, and triumph over the urge to lash or retort sometimes.
But I love that verse. That is also my antidote, that verse. And I continually pray that God will put a “rein” on my tongue. i know he can do that.