I work in a call center, and you never knew such a gossip mill. I also find myself being drawn into it since it's a fine line between discussing someone's job performance or a new policy and slipping into talking about someone's life. It's also a fine line between someone telling me their troubles and someone griping/gossiping about someone else.
I've prayed that my tongue be bound if gossip begins. I've prayed to remain "set-apart" from it. In fact, since that prayer, I've been moved to a job that makes it possible for me to literally avoid most contact with people in the building, and most of my job interactions have become electronic in nature, creating an excellent filter to avoid getting drawn in to gossip. I've been known to literally stop talking mid-sentence, and end the conversation. My friends have begun to realize that I am not interested in who's sleeping with who or who got arrested, but they are welcome to tell me about their lives, their trials, their experiences. It's been a long process, but one worth the reward of being trusted by my friends and family, because, as my Ma used to say, if someone will talk to you about others, they will talk to others about you.
My sin is subtle. It's complacency. I easily find myself falling away from reading the word and praying in favor of video games and social media. I find myself reading books for fun or entertainment over studying the word through teachers and preachers and fellowship. I look up and it's been weeks since I've fellowshipped here, weeks since I promised him I would do this, or that. I am trying to overcome this now, as I am not a lazy person. Perhaps I'm just easily distracted, I'm not sure. I will continue to pray for the matter.
I've prayed that my tongue be bound if gossip begins. I've prayed to remain "set-apart" from it. In fact, since that prayer, I've been moved to a job that makes it possible for me to literally avoid most contact with people in the building, and most of my job interactions have become electronic in nature, creating an excellent filter to avoid getting drawn in to gossip. I've been known to literally stop talking mid-sentence, and end the conversation. My friends have begun to realize that I am not interested in who's sleeping with who or who got arrested, but they are welcome to tell me about their lives, their trials, their experiences. It's been a long process, but one worth the reward of being trusted by my friends and family, because, as my Ma used to say, if someone will talk to you about others, they will talk to others about you.
My sin is subtle. It's complacency. I easily find myself falling away from reading the word and praying in favor of video games and social media. I find myself reading books for fun or entertainment over studying the word through teachers and preachers and fellowship. I look up and it's been weeks since I've fellowshipped here, weeks since I promised him I would do this, or that. I am trying to overcome this now, as I am not a lazy person. Perhaps I'm just easily distracted, I'm not sure. I will continue to pray for the matter.