In Practise: Speaking in Tongues
I want to share a few practical things I’ve been trying in my life that I’ve found help me in my walk with Jesus.
Quick Definition: Speaking in tongues is a type of speaking or singing in strange noises, sounds and words. It’s about letting your spirit connect with God’s holy spirit without using clumsy human words to express concepts or ideas.
Speaking in tongues – how I do it
One of my practises is to privately speak in tongues. I do this especially when I need encouragement or need to reconnect with God but I don’t have the right words to say. Often I know I want to pray for someone or something but I don’t know how to pray it, so I turn to tongues (as instructed in the bible).
Ever since getting concussed at 18 I sometimes have trouble finding the right words, and this is especially true in my prayer life. I guess it’s because when I pray I am trying to express deeper thoughts than normal. Tongues solves this and gets me through to an open spiritual state, often I start in tongues and end up in English as the words start coming to me.
It can be a controversial/weird practise I know. However in my bible reading I find that the bible definitely does encourage us to speak in tongues – but with wisdom.
Paul says in 1 Corinthians chapter 14 that he wishes all spoke in tongues. Also in that chapter is said that the person speaking in tongues edifies himself.
I take it to mean that when I need edifying (encouragement, lifting up and improvement) that spending time speaking in tongues will help.
Edification sounds like a great thing, so I repeatedly come back to this practise of speaking in tongues. Like any new practise it feels awkward and silly at first but as I do it, I get more comfortable with it.
For me it is something I do most in the car on the way to or from work. I just look at the car clock and decide that for 3 minutes I will speak in tongues, and it feels strange and awkward to start with but what usually happens is pretty cool.
After about 20 seconds of it I start to feel connected with God, I start thinking of people I want to pray for or things I want to talk to God about in my own life. Often I will interrupt the praying in tongues to pray in English words about a person or concern, then I will continue in tongues.
The key benefits
I find it really loosens me up when I’m in a mood. It opens my mind up to the Holy Spirit and the things that really matter in life (rather than dwelling on how much I want to be home in bed) and it does indeed edify me.
It changes me from being driven by my emotions to being aware of the spirit and being led by God. I feel calmer, focussed on the important things and I feel comforted, somehow knowing that God hears me and my nonsense words are allowing my deeper conscious level to communicate with him.
A warning:
I fully advocate speaking in tongues whenever possible when you are on your own, it is a great tool to help connect you with God.
However in some situations it is not useful or advisable.
I am still not sure that I approve of it when occasionally in church services we all spend time together speaking in tongues. I personally find it quite enjoyable – the atmosphere changes as we all let go of our up-tight ways and relax into it BUT I know that for new people it is full on WEIRD and can freak people out.
The bible, in 1 Corinthians chapter 14 does say that when you are gathered in a meeting that speaking in tongues should only be done if there is interpretation, and only 2 or 3 people should do it.
My personal preference would be for this to continue happening (because of the atmosphere of faith it builds) but in smaller meetings when there are no new people present. Or in the prayer meetings before the church service maybe.
Do try it - Go on!
I totally think anyone and everyone should start speaking in tongues privately for short periods of time. It has some wonderful benefits, is advised by scripture and will help us connect with the holy spirit.
If you have never spoken in tongues you may want to ask your Christian friends to lay hands on you and pray for you to receive this gift. It is pretty cool.
KG
Ps - please enjoy this picture of an adorable puppy with a big tongue
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