Choose Your Words

AI recently took a trip with some friends where we saw the damage that the fire caused in the mountains last year.
It was miles of trees burned down in the forest.

At the sight of all the destruction, these verses came to mind. 

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life and set on fire by hell.  For every kind of beast and bird, reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.  From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. James 3: 6-10

There is so much to meditate on and consider in these verses. The Bible has a lot to say about words and their impact.  Verses such as "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person”. Colossians 4:6 encourages us to guard our mouths and be mindful of others in our speech.

If hurtful words have set ablaze wounds in your heart, be encouraged that God can heal that and bring restoration. If you look past the dead trees in the picture, you see new growth. There is hope, the forest will be restored.  With God there is redemption, healing, and restoration. With God,  beauty can come out of the ashes of wounds caused by hurtful words.
He heals our broken hearts. 

Beloved Sisters, let us remember to choose our words carefully, and if you have been burned by hurtful words, know that you can bring that before God and know that He can heal your deep wounds. And If you know that your words have hurt someone, seek forgiveness. God forgives and redeems.

With His Joy and Love, Adzele.