Imagine yourself at a normal weekday meal. You hear the clatter of spoons and smell the aroma of hot soup. There is the hum of conversation with occasional silent moments. And then, all of a sudden, you feel small arms around you and see the sunny face of a child. “She is so nice. This mommy is so sweet. I love you very, very much.”
We all need to hear such loving words once in a while. Words than come from deep in the heart and surround us like a hug or a warm blanket, without any conditions. Words that make us feel all happy inside, happy and deeply grateful.
Words have enormous power. They can be used to uplift but also to press down. They can wound and destroy, but they can also heal and make one whole.
It seems to me that people who have light in their hearts shine that light around them through their words. Those people want to encourage others and say things that make others feel good. The words used to preach the gospel have a special power. They can work miracles, heal the wounds of the soul, and help people continue on their journey.
A long time ago I quarreled with a person. Soon afterwards we settled the matter with the gospel, but I still felt I had not been able to process that event. My previous experiences had wounded me so deeply that it was difficult for me to let the new wound heal. That quarrel had made me feel worthless in the other person’s eyes, and the memory of that feeling kept hurting me for a long time. It seemed to me that the other person had not understood what I was trying to say.
God took care of that matter in His own time. Years later I came across that person again. We had an opportunity to discuss the old matters. I felt it was quite safe to discuss them. I was able to tell the person how difficult it had been for me to get rid of that pain.
The errors due to sin had been wiped away by the gospel a long time ago, but it took me longer to regain confidence. The Heavenly Father, however, was aware of the situation all the time. He saw that we would need some more discussion for me to feel free again. We needed gentle, understanding words. I felt that our discussion took place under comforting and absolute grace.
I have always been sensitive to words and gestures, probably too much so. A safe environment is comforting in that it allows us to be simply what we are, without any need to try to be something more or better. And that freedom helps us to gradually become more tolerant and to learn new things.
I hope we all have people that we dare to meet just as we are. That there is someone to encourage us, someone with good and merciful words.
Have you met the kind of people who are able to heal with their words or have a special skill to encourage others?
I remember one of my teachers warmly. She helped me recognize my special skills. When we were close to the end of our opisto year, she wrote a long and encouraging text in my guestbook. It ended like this: ”I wish God’s blessing to your life. If you have that, you will not need anything else.” Those words warmed my heart then. They still do.
Some time ago I was asked if I would like to continue writing this blog. I turned the matter in my mind, feeling tired and uncertain. But God showed me that this matter was in stronger hands. All of a sudden I received support and encouragement from many directions. People wanted to tell me they had been touched by one or another of my posts. They wanted to tell me they were looking forward to my texts, my accounts of daily life or special pains and joys. And while telling me that, their words shed a light on my path and helped me walk on.
My experience has been that the Heavenly Father supports me by giving encouraging and caring people into my life. Some of them have stayed only for a short time, while others have stayed longer by my side. I find God’s blessing in that. He gives me supporting and blessing words at exactly the right time. He gives me words that bring light to my day. And to my heart.
Text: Anne Lindfors
Translation: Sirkka-Liisa Leinonen
You will find the original finnish blog post here.
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