Over it.
I’ve been holding back. I’ve been cautious and courteous and at times I’ve cared more about what people might think than what my God is telling me to do or say. Well, I’m done being afraid. I’m done worrying about what “people” might say, what you might say. I’ve no pride left. I’ve been wounded, humbled and broken and for the past five or six years, desperation has demanded I pursue the truth. The truth about myself and my family, the truth about my identity and the truth about my relationship with Jesus. I’ve come to the end of myself, and I’m so glad. Years of serving, study and knowledge have been gently laid down at the feet of Jesus, and He is giving truth back to me one revelation, one understanding at a time. The goal, if I could steal a phrase from Paul, is to know Him more, the Truth, in a greater way.
When God says, “if you seek Me, you will find Me,” He means it. I have found the Lord to be loving and faithful beyond words, quietly and patiently tweaking and refining my perspective, bringing health to my understanding and greater freedom and revelation to my life. I have been and continue to be filled to the measure with the love of God, and I can no longer keep it to myself. It is His love that motivates me towards maturity and health for myself and for others. It is for this reason I’m compelled to “speak the truth in love”.
I’ve heard it said, “Truth without love is mean, and love without truth is meaningless”. I would agree. Words are so important. The Bible cautions us many times, in many different ways, to be slow to speak and quick to listen; to be gentle and use restraint. I am very aware of the life and death that can come from the words I speak and the words I write. For years, I held my tongue, never confronting or speaking out because I would rather err on the side of caution than inadvertently gossip or hurt someone. While that’s good in some regard, I didn’t fully understand that not speaking up at all, never having the difficult conversations, wasn’t healthy either. Because I’ve witnessed people behaving badly and hurting others I ran the other way, not saying anything in an effort to honor God. Well, neither honor God. Speaking the truth in love is what brings maturity and health to our marriages, friendships, families and to the body of Christ as a whole.
So today, it is with humility and trepidation that I begin this journey of writing and speaking up. It is my desire to shine the light. To speak truth. To encourage your heart.
May I start by challenging you? What words are you speaking today? Are you slow to speak and careful to encourage and not tear down, or are you cutting and quick to criticize? It’s never too late to start paying attention. It’s always a good time to speak the truth in love.
“Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of His body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”
“Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.”