Friday Fight 129: Our Word Wall

Every Friday, when I wake and pray, God places something on my heart to help me fight darkness beginning in our minds. Today is FF129.

How many of us still hear the faint echoes of negative words spoken over us at some point in our lives? Maybe it was years ago or just last week, but when questioning a decision or direction in our lives, the volume of those negative words feels like they were just said. What are these shrieking statements, and how can we prevent them from invading our headspace?

Our Word Wall:

For those in education, reading "Word Wall" brings to mind a classroom tool used to help students improve their comprehension skills. This display of words and definitions aligns with daily activities by providing meaning, reinforcement, and application of these words throughout the day. Yet, most of us have another type of word wall in our lives. But the words I am referring to were hurtful and continue to cause harm as they replay in our minds. If they are so painful, why are we still carrying them? The truth is darkness wants us to accept these untruths about ourselves, which enables additional torment using subtle areas of unforgiveness.

For this post, I referred to the book of Psalms, which is beautifully compiled of poems, hymns, and prayers, many written by David. Psalms is likely the most referenced book, particularly when people are facing fear, degradation, or issues with self worth. It effectively speaks life, hope, and stability with God's truth. Psalm 18:2 states, "The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." We can reference this verse when asking God to shield us from the untruths that rattle our souls.

Let's consider the dynamics of our word walls. When we apply the gift of forgiveness, either in offering or accepting, we often miss one crucial part. We apologize for our actions, but may downplay our harsh or hurtful words. When we receive an apology and agree to forgive, we must include those things conveyed in anger. If not, we are still prisoners to the false phrases we remember.

So, word walls constructed this way are not about positively strengthening how we apply these words; it is the opposite. Satan would enjoy using all these negative comments to cement our wall, keeping us from God and each other. Perhaps it is not yet significantly constructed, or cemented, but acknowledging hateful words that continually invade our headspace means contributing to something used to wound us further.

Years ago, I was struggling and came home to find affirmations written on sticky notes circulated throughout our home. To help me combat the lies I believed about my character, my daughter placed these affirmations, or words of truth, in various rooms for me to constantly see. It was an unexpected act of kindness that was effective and appreciated.

What defining, limiting, or damaging words have we allowed to permeate our lives? Maybe it was a spouse, parent, child, best friend, someone at church, or former educator. Regardless of who it was, forgive them, then forgive again every day by accepting what Christ sacrificed at Calvary. A best friend at work recently suggested a spiritual word wall, which encouraged this post.

Let's utilize the Truth of Scripture by only allowing ourselves to be defined by who God says we are and let Him be the wall that reinforces our character. Join me this week in identifying unfavorable words that still contribute to how we see ourselves and giving them to God.

Photo Credit: Miguel Gable

Pastor Shannon

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