Let my words be few:

In response to my turmoil yesterday I finally got an answer. Galatians 6:9 – “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Finally Lord, You decided to give me a straightforward answer instead of riddles and vague statements. Thank You so much.

Writers are strange characters indeed. They are driven by emotions because emotions fuel their creativity. Emotions are what give their writing power. In their darkest times and greatest despair is when they can come up with the most magnificent works. Writers also have another quality – the ability to deliver words that cause the desired impact. They can cause intense joy or brew sorrow with mere words. And unlike physical wounds – wounds caused by words do not heal easily.

My biggest problem has always been my memory. Selective and manipulative. My mind is my worst enemy because I tend to remember bad memories and forget good ones.  With bad memories I remember clearly every word spoken, the time, the date, the place and not a single detail escapes my notice. In fact the negative memory is so strong that it casts a shadow on my good memories and causes me to rewrite the past in its light.

Clarity in thinking is really important for a writer. Even though we seldom understand others we are quite sure of ourselves. At any given moment we can pinpoint the source of our discomfort, we can isolate the emotion that is driving us, we can identify the person or the words that pain us. The mental cacophony in our heads might not make sense to others but we are quite sure of ourselves. Precision in thinking is what defines us and leads us to our next biggest problem.

Our creativity with words and our emotion driven nature can cause great harm when we don’t have pen and paper to release our feelings constructively. In a surge of emotion I can artistically pick and choose words deliberately that can hit the heart and wound terribly. I can select the phrases that can hurt a person the most and construct sentences that I cannot take back once delivered. My mind will remember and store past offences and repeat them at the opportune moment to boost my argument. Some say the pen is mightier than the sword. I’m afraid I disagree. The tongue is the mightiest of all.

Till date I have wielded the sword of my tongue heedlessly without thought. I have inflicted injuries far worse than physical injuries; I have cut the soul with my carelessness.

So Lord I ask of you - still the tongue that causes destruction and let my words be few. From my lips never let a word of discouragement pass but encouragement instead, never harsh barbs, but soothing words. Make me a channel of Your peace and through Your Grace alone let my words be like light in the darkness – bringing hope where there is despair.