Dwelling in Words

This is kind of an addendum to what I wrote earlier...that was rushed and hurried and so I'm wiping the slate clean and starting over.

"We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words." (1 Corinthians 2:6-13)

God's been teaching me today especially that words have no purpose if they are not edifying or positive in some way. Words shouldn't be spoken just to be spoken. So much of communication in this world is of a worldly spirit that can only further the flesh. Yet, as Christians, we have received the Holy Spirit in which all words should flow from. We speak in an edifying manner. I was presented with the stark contrast between conversations that contain this manner with the manner of worldly conversation in our study lounge this week. i had the choice to partake or not to partake in conversations occuring there. So often I did not. Who are we to think we have the right to blaspheme others? If we are speaking out of the Spirit, in words taught by the spirit, I know God's kingdom will be advanced in ways we never thought possible.

"My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer. You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever." Psalm 45:1-5

I've been looking back to hymn writers and reading their words, finding that I crave what is being spoken for the hymns contain such purity and beauty, and I've been wondering why we don't see that more today, even with myself as a writer. In society today we have so many resources and means to communicate with the seemingly limitless media and freedom of expression we experience. Yet in this, I think this is where we have lost the purity and beauty of words. These aformentioned hymn writers wrote out of the fullness of the Spirit and it is through that power that those words still move people today. I think about how many books I've read over the years and thinking about how many I actually remember. Not many. Just because one has the ability and means to communicate does not mean one should. I think society gets too caught up in the “practice of communication” that we have lost sight of the “art of communication.” When one thinks about the word art, it implies something that has taken shape over time, with many iterations and deliberateness, intention and vision, that eventually comes out to be something that evokes emotion or opinion, and the best art is often one that challenges people to look at life in a different way or see newfound beauty or gain inspiration. Why shouldn’t communication be the same?

Do we ever sit in silence anymore? I found myself yesterday with a half hour of time before meeting some friends and I was searching for someone to talk to or something to do, when all I needed to do was be still. Out of this seamless praise flowed because it was the result of allowing the Holy Spirit to move. There's such a beauty in allowing our hearts to be stirred by a noble theme as we recite our verses for the King...

"She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue." Proverbs 31:26

God continues to refine me and in that He's been teaching me a lot about myself lately, things that perhaps I didn't think were relevant to the time I am in now. I'll only speak of one area here, and that is how I need to return back to my roots as an encourager. Back home I was known as the "sweet one" who was the one who everyone went to talk to about whatever needed to be shared, for God's given me the ability to listen and grace that goes along with it. God's changed me a lot this year, but there are things He has created me to be that I must not leave. I want to be a vessel of encouragement, for I don't think I've been doing that near my capacity at all. I want to be intentional with my words and things I say to others, in that they may contain wisdom and faithful instruction.

With all of this I am reminded of the conversations I have and treasure with my brothers and sisters in Christ for they are so edifying and God uses them so much. As we are real and open with one another we see the grace of God move through it. I see a glimpse of what meaningful communication is and should be...and I pray that it will become such that through our words hearts are lit on fire by the Holy Spirit, for the words of the Holy Spirit being spoken through us are piercing their hearts. And it is also my prayer that I will be intentional with my words, not speaking just to speak, but with purpose and intention behind it. Let "my lips be anointed with grace, since God has blessed me forever."