God is a God of relationship and desires that we all grow in unity and love for one another. Jesus came to bring relational growth, not strife. Anything that goes against His will of unity does not bring honour to Him.
In 2 Corinthians 2:20, Paul says to the church of Corinth, "For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarrelling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder."
One ways that we destroy relationships is through gossip and if you struggle with a gossiping tongue today (whether you admit it or not), God wants you to be free of it.
At the heart of gossip is a lack of fulfilment, joy and self-control that come only through Christ. People who gossip will admit to doing so for many reasons, but at the core of gossip is a search for security and meaning. We spread about secrets, lies, stories and rumours in hopes to fit in and feel better and higher than we truly feel.
When we gossip it can feel good because we feel like we're part of a conversation and, on many occasions, we are better than the people we talk about. Many even justify it as being only of concern for others because God calls them to "expose sin." But God does not need your help to expose the sin of people, so it's time that you stop.
How do we shut down the spirit of gossip? Ultimately, we cannot because a person who gossips does so because the essence of Jesus is missing in him. If you are this person, whether it's a certain mistrust or inability to surrender or admit that what you're doing is wrong, there is a lack of movement of Christ in your heart.
To gain the zeal and discipline that will cut the spirit of gossip, you have to start by receiving a new Spirit that will expose the sin and lies and set you free from it. 2 Corinthians 3:17 says, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."
If you want freedom from the grip of gossip today, it's time to surrender it to Jesus and admit that it destroys His true purpose of unity and relational peace.
Galatians 5:22-23 tell us, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self- control; against such things there is no law."
When the Spirit of God comes to us, our mouths will be filled not with gossip but with loving and constructive talk as our hearts revert back to Jesus Christ.
