I grew up in an alcoholic home where both my parents drank and were verbally and physically abusive.

There were not a lot words that brought life or encouragement.  Maybe that is why I remember two moments so vividly.

When I was in my early teens, a lady who was like a second mother to me said, “Mike, you are a good boy!”  I remember thinking, “Am I?” No one had ever said that to me. Those six words gave me a new picture of myself.

When I was attending university, my father said, “One of the neighbors told me that you were on the dean’s list.  I’m proud of you.”  I can’t remember any other moment quite like that one, in terms of my dad’s words to me.

Solomon says that “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”  (Proverbs 16:24)

Bring healing and sweetness to someone’s life today through your words. Bring some as well to yourself by embracing what God says about you as His child in Ephesians 1:3-10 and Ephesians 2:10 You are:

1) God’s Best Work/Creation,
2) Chosen/Adopted as His Child,
3) Forgiven and Redeemed as His Wayward and Disobedient Son/Daughter and
4) Blessed with Everything that a Loving Father can give His Child.

by Mike Woodard
Used by Permission

Further Reading

•   Why are the words that I use so important?

•   Words

•  Salvation Explained

Follow Us On:  Facebook  • Twitter  •  Instagram  •  Pinterest

The post Lessons from Life: Words appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“If words are many, sin is not absent. He who holds his tongue is wise.” Proverbs 10:19

Hurtful words spoken in anger. I caught them, felt the pain of them, and believed them. “I am a failure as a wife, a mother, a Christian.”

And yet in my heart, I knew I had done my best. I knew I had lived well. Then why can’t she remember the good I’ve done? I stewed.

Feeling desperately hurt, I sought counselling.

“They are words of anger spoken into the wind,” my pastor said “Don’t catch them. Don’t let them lodge in your mind to hatch into self-pity. Don’t personalize them. If you do, you’ll become frozen into a stance of hurt. Bitterness will grow in your heart and poison you. Let them go. Don’t even repeat them. They are irrational words spoken in haste.”

“Flying words hurled out of an angry mouth—counter them with a word from God,” says Amy Carmichael.

“But shouldn’t I set the record straight?” I asked.

“Nothing you say at this point will impress her,” the pastor said. “It will only make it worse. A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1).

“Let God vindicate you: ‘do not take revenge, for it is written: It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. ‘Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good”
(Romans 12:19, 20).

Is there someone you need to forgive? Some angry, hurtful words you need to let go? Ask God for the grace to let go and to trust Him to make it right.

From experience I know it’s the only way to live free.

Dear Father, I want my words to be words of healing, not of hurt. I want to remember that ‘kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body”   (Proverbs 16: 24 NLT)

By Helen Lescheid
Used by Permission

To read more of Helen’s writings go to https://www.helenlescheid.com

FURTHER READING

• Fast Of Words: A Different Kind of Fast
• Lessons from Odd Places: Words that Saved my Life

Learn more about knowing Jesus at: https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/four-laws/

Follow Us On:

SUBSCRIBE BY EMAIL: FOLLOW THIS LINK

The post Let Your Words Bring Healing Not Hurt appeared first on Thoughts About God.