God shows His goodness to us in so many ways. Last Thursday it came in the way of an unexpected email conversation, one that wasn’t anticipated but was dearly needed. It was encouraging and affirming. It made me feel like I could still conquer certain lingering “rough spots” in my habits and routines. “I was in a tighter spot than you are now and I survived and made it better and this is what helped me…” That beautiful comparison tool that whispers hope.
It wasn’t until later on that evening that it struck me that God used that person and that email to build me up before attacks came to break me down. God is so good that He gives us words of encouragement and strength just in time to give us more room to hold on just as the wind is about to blow harder and from directions we never expected. And after harsh judgement made from assumptions was passed, I gathered what was left of me and moved on. Those words however hung like a storm cloud over my weekend.
It is amazing that in just 10 minutes words can break or heal. They can affirm or condemn… and you never realize the power of them until you are feeling their acute effects. Every Sunday school teacher, Bible study or small group leader, pastor etc has probably taught on the effects of the tongue and what the Bible says about it’s power when unbridled but…
It’s not until I’m broken by words and four days later when I still feel broken that it reminds me to examine my words more closely before letting them pass through my lips. “How many times have words formed around quick judgement flown out of my mouth only to break the person they were spoken to?(Even once is too many.)
I think back to that string of non-chalant emails that made me hold my head a little higher- that spoke a bit of hope- and I think, “How many times have I passed up opportunities to speak words of encouragement and affirmation?” Our days are littered with broken, hurting, stressed people who would benefit from whatever bit of grace and hope we can pass on to them. Open your eyes and gift them with some spoken grace.
