Rev’s Mid-Week Thought

On Sunday, I preached from the thought of “Are We Listening?” Are we listening with our spiritual ears directly linked to our hearts? At some point in the preaching moment, the spirit dropped in my heart that some of us are still wounded by the words and actions of others in the past. We must realize the power of words and how they can either build someone up or tear them down. We are all human and susceptible to being hurt by the words and actions of others. If you are like me, there have been times when I thought I was over a particular situation, and out of the blue, something happened that picked the scab, and the hurt came flooding back in.We know that hurt people turn around and hurt other people. We must be able to handle the idea of not staying stuck in our hurt and actively working towards healing and forgiveness if we are to be effective individually and collectively. We all desire Wentz’s to be a beacon of hope and safety for the community, but we cannot truly fulfill that role if we are cursing the darkness of past hurts rather than seeking the light of healing forgiveness as a balm for our own wounds. How can we be trusted with tender new hearts if we won’t deal graciously with the hurting hearts already part of our lives? It is essential for us to do the work to resolve these issues so that we can be a source of strength and compassion for others.Words have power; if you don’t know by now, we can use that power to create or destroy. We must choose our words carefully and speak uplifting words. Pay attention to your thoughts, and do not give room to limiting, fear-based ideas. We have the power to fill our thinking with affirmations of truth. Reminding ourselves we are divinely made, loved, and spiritually protected is critical. The other part of this idea is we take full responsibility for using the power of our voices, keeping our thoughts, words, and actions in alignment with our spiritual nature that continues to listen to the holy spirit that inspires, cajoles, and directs our hearts.I pray last Sunday’s message and this mid-week thought is a timely and thought-provoking reminder to be intentional in our listening, speaking, and living. We must examine our patterns and behaviors and strive to be better listeners, communicators, and Jesus followers. Let us have the courage to speak truthfully and authentically and be a presence for good. I pray the words from our collective hearts will be a beacon of light for all who hear. By your words, you will be justified, and by your words, you will be condemned. —Matthew 12:37