Dearest sister,
I sense the pain you feel over the thoughtless words you have spoken and I want to encourage you to go to the Father. I have felt that pain: watching the faces fall of those you love, as your words pierce deeply, causing brokenness and distance between you, and also in your walk with the Lord. I had thought I would spend our time discussing the many reasons why we should strive for godly speech, knowing the power of life and death we carry with our words…but I see now that your heart is penitent for your sin and you simply need to be reassured of not only Christ’s love and work on your behalf, but how his perfect speech covers over your many imperfections.
“As for God, his way is perfect: The LORD’s word is flawless; He shields all who take refuge in him,” Psalm 18:30. Find your refuge in the Lord, even as our enemy seeks to accuse you for your many failures with your words. May I encourage you to also take comfort in the fact that as you stand before God, He sees your words as perfect in the perfect standing you have in Christ. I hope this will give you courage to get up from the pit into which you have fallen, and live the holy life you are called to, knowing you have the flawless words of Christ as your refuge, living inside you.
I’d encourage you to dig deeper into this chapter, Psalm 18, where this verse comes from. This is such a precious passage to me, as I have often seen God powerfully come to my aid in a time of need, as he does here for David, and will do for you. Do you feel as I do, when the evil thoughts and words come? Take comfort that you can cry out to the Lord as we see here: “The ropes of death were wrapped around me; the torrents of destruction terrified me. 5 The ropes of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. 6 I called to the Lord in my distress, and I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry to Him reached His ears,” Psalm 18.
I do not mean to excuse your sinful speech, as I do not condone mine, either. “I tell you that on the day of judgment, people will have to account for every careless word they speak,” Matthew 12:36. But I also know that we can claim the righteousness of Christ as our own when we stand before God. Take heart as you listen to this powerful song, and fight your battle against careless thoughts and speech, with the power of Christ within you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2X2Kh4Sn0Y
Your sister,
Ruth