Moments in Reflection: Bishop Eddie Long

I have come to realize that there is not enough breath in my body to thank God enough for all the things that He has done for me.

Over the past few months, He has revealed Himself to me in ways that can only be referred to as miracles. And within these amazing experiences that I have had, I have had to learn how to trust Him through the good and bad. I have also had to learn that once I give something to Him that I cannot take it back, I have to trust Him to see it through to the end. Because after all...He is God and He doesn't need my help.

Through my recent experiences I have also learned that possessing the ability to bridle one's tongue is of paramount importance. (Thanks mom!) All too often I find myself getting too comfortable with speaking about things pertaining to other people and their situations that I don't always realize that the words that I am speaking may be adversely affecting them in ways that I could never imagine, thereby blocking my own blessings.

Case and point: My mom and I were having a conversation about Bishop Eddie Long and I began to talk about my thoughts on the situation and why I felt the way I did in a very negative way. My mother immediately stopped me and reminded me that no one knows for sure yet what went on in the situation. We can only speculate. She also reminded me that everyone is innocent until proven guilty, and that it was not for me or anyone else to judge that situation because only God can do that. But by all means the man should get his day in court.

She then pointed out that in the not to far future that I would be going before a judge for my own personal situation and asked me how I would feel if my whole case was played out and judged in the media by people who knew nothing about my circumstances and had no evidence.

There was nothing I could say, because I knew that in my personal situation I was being lied on and unfairly accused of things that I know I didn't do. So right then and there, we prayed together and I asked for forgiveness. But the kicker is that before she explained her point of view, I felt totally justified in my opinion because Bishop Long is a "celebrity" and it's common practice for society to talk about them just because.

Proverbs 18:21 says, "Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof."

Death and life are in your words! Do you know how powerful that statement is?

And James 3:6 goes on to say, "And the tongue [is] a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

So when we speak negativity in our lives, that's what manifests. The same thing goes with positivity. When you are going through trials and tribulations, stop and take a moment to think about the things you've been saying about yourself and others. It really does matter.

For the sons and daughters of God, what is bound and loosed on Earth is bound and loosed in Heaven. And when you think about it in those terms it's a pretty heavy thing, so think about that the next time you are tempted to speak in anger toward or about someone.

I personally know that taming the tongue is a very hard thing to practice, but if you pray for me...I'll pray for you.