Be Brave With Your Words

There is a phrase that I use all the time.  I will be trying to explain something or attempting to put my thoughts into some sort of sentence that makes sense and I will get frustrated and just say "and all the words".  I get frustrated because I know that words are important and I want to be able to say what I am thinking.

I could write this blog post about how your words can help people or they can hurt people.  I could write about how words can be used like a weapon against someone or they can be used to lift someone up out of a very dark place.  I could write about that as those things are true, but that is talked about all of the time.  I feel like God wants me to share something different about our words.  I feel like He is teaching me to be brave with my words.

God is slowly showing me that it is okay for me to share my words with people.  For those who know me, they are laughing, as I've never been at a loss for words.  I can tell stories for days.  I am talking about words that are seemingly hard to say at the time.  Words that need to be said but we are too afraid to say them.

Words that we say to our significant others when they are doing things that are hurting us.

Words  that we say to a close friend when we see that they are heading down a wrong path.

Words that we say to our children when they need some tough love.

Words that we say to our families when the family feuds have been going on for too long.

Words that we say to co-workers when they are making mistakes and need guidance and correction.

Words that we say to therapists that will reveal our deepest darkest struggles.

Words that we say to God when we are just downright honest with how we are feeling.

Sharing those kinds of words are not always easy but they are so necessary.  I have found over the years that I do a really good job of biting my tongue and stuffing my words down deep. Keeping everything locked inside.  Trying not to make too many waves.   God is showing me how often I do this and is slowly teaching me to be brave with my words.  Just a month or so ago, this song by Sara Bareilles was brought to my attention.  It's called Brave and you can listen to it by clicking here.  That song has played in my head a million times since then.

There is a verse in the song that says: 

Everybody's been there,
 Everybody's been stared down by the enemy

 Fallen for the fear

 and done some disappearing,

 Bow down to the mighty,

 Don't run, just stop holding your tongue

Sometimes I've failed to say words because I know they will be faced with anger or rejection in return.  It seems easier stay silent.

Sometimes I have failed to say words because I don't want the other person  to feel like I think that I am better than them.   Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Sometimes I've failed to say words because I haven't felt worthy to have a voice.  God says I'm worthy.

Biting our tongue and holding back the words always seems like the easiest answer, but there is a price to pay for doing that.

• People in our lives continue hurting us because we haven't been clear with our expectations.  
• Our friends are missing out on the iron sharpening iron moments.  
• Our children go on thinking that the way they are behaving is okay.
• We continue to get caught up in the family feuds.  
• Our co-workers continue to frustrate us every single day and they don't even realize they are doing anything wrong.  
• Our therapists can't provide good solutions because we haven't been honest with the struggles.  
• God already knows our hearts but not taking our words to Him builds a wall between us.  

Don't get me wrong.  There is a time and place to hold our tongues.  I am not advocating for everyone to go on Facebook and tell every person exactly what you think.  I am just saying to take a minute and pause when you find yourself not saying something that needs to be said.  Are you holding your tongue out of fear?  Take it to the Lord and ask Him if now is the time to be brave with your words.