SOFT WORDS

BY Shirley Wiggins

A sleepless night,

a troubled mind, a sad, sorrowing heart filled with questions tinged with fear. 

The uncertainties of the many disappointments in life…

When our personal lives are touched by the fearful feelings of any kind of turmoil how we begin to think about those things will determine whether we begin to feed our faith or our fear.

Our negative feelings will lead us down a path of futility that goes nearer and nearer to failure where doubts get crowded closely by despair.

Despair shows up when we think we are trying as hard as we can, and it isn’t working, so we feel like giving up, sitting down, and staying still and quiet.

But then the crushing weight of guilt begins to block the Sunlight of the Love of God, who never gives up on us.

Never?  No, never.  God desires that we would seek to know Him in truth.

Truth is what we must remember when we are troubled by the disappointments of life which are certain to come to all of us at some point in time.  When we let our thoughts run with our feelings, we can be quickly led into areas of untruth.

Things said to us can wound us when no harm was meant.  Even things said intentionally to injure us can be responded to with soft answers filled with gentle words.

S oothing, sincere

O nly

F aithful, fact-filled

T houghtful  thoughts!

The thoughts in my mind and the words in my mouth seem to work in tandem.  What I think about tends to come out of my mouth in words.

“A soft and gentle and thoughtful answer turns away wrath,
But harsh and painful and careless words stir up anger.”  -Proverbs 15:1 Amp. Bible.

 Harsh, painful, and careless words seem to guarantee some stirred up anger will be coming into the day.

Oh, that I might think soft and gentle thoughts, that only thoughtful words would come out of my mouth!

Soothing, faithful thoughts will be based in truth’s knowledge, not on feelings. 

“The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.”  Proverbs 15:2 ESV.

“A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.”   “A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart, the spirit is crushed.  The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.”  Proverbs 15:4, 13-14 ESV.

“The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.  The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.”  Proverbs 15:28-29 ESV.

But Prayer…. Acts 12:5  “So Peter was kept in prison but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.”   A good reminder of the power of earnest prayer when prayed to God, the Lord, who hears the prayer of the righteous.

I am reminded that I have no righteousness of my own, but God gives to His children His own righteousness in His Son, Jesus Christ, who became righteousness for us:  believers  who’ve put our faith and trust in Him (Jesus).

God desires a breakthrough to absolute victory for us! 

“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of Him.  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His commandments.  For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.   And His commandments are not burdensome.  For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world.   And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.  Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? “  1 John 5:1-5 ESV.

I keep praying and praying like I’m looking for a magical fix to my problems, but God says, “NO!”  That is not how I work, that is not My will for you!  Failure is not your future, Daughter! (Or son!)

Your destiny, my dearly beloved child, is written in my Word, it is sublimely divine for I know the plans I have for you, here in this world now, and to give you a Future with Me forever!  You are My child, and I love you perfectly and completely right now, even though you are not right now perfect and complete in your holiness- -neither in your character nor conduct.  But I am not finished.  You are not finished, we are not finished.  Read My Word!  Believe it and live like you believe it!

Now, from the top…

Life is about Love, Love is about Relationship – Relationship is about Redemption – Redemption is about Salvation – Salvation is about Righteousness – Righteousness is about Sanctification – Sanctification is about Transformation….. And Transformation is about Justification, and Justification is about Salvation, and Salvation is about Righteousness:

 Not your righteousness, Daughter, (son,)  but Mine!  The righteousness of God which comes from God --- not from the Law, nor from the flesh – but which comes from God!  (See the book of Galatians in the New Testament of the Holy Bible.)

I knew that-----didn’t I???  Where is my Bible?  Oh, here it is …

Now from the Top:

Life is about Love!  Love is God!  God is Love and God is Life, and He thinks good thoughts toward me and makes good plans for my Future, and the Future of my loved ones!

And you, and yours, dear friend.  God has good plans for you! 

Where is your  Bible??!