"Light doesn't say a word...it just shines! Just let that shine and people will be drawn to that light inside of you, which is Jesus." - Bill Yount

I am finally understanding more and more of what God meant when He told me not to hold back from speaking His Words. In the last year, He has told me through 7 different people who didn't really know me that He has anointed my words and that I wasn't to hold back, but I've been a bit confused (okay, that is the understatement of the year) about what this means.

Last night when I was talking to my good friend Chris, he pointed out one of my blind spots which was that a lot of the times, when God speaks to me, I'm so thrilled that He's even speaking to me that I don't bother to ask for clarification when I have questions about how He wants me to do what He's saying. Instead, I kind of sit there and try and 'guess' at what He means.

At first, I thought that God meant, speak more! Keep sharing the things He's revealed to me and what He's placed in my heart. So, with my usual overly enthusiastic nature, I opened my heart to nearly everyone and everything was exposed to them, because I was determined that everyone would see how good God has been to me. But that somehow didn't really work, and because of my mixed up understanding of what He was asking from me, I ended up not really showing any discretion or wisdom with who I trust, and I ended up getting hurt by several people. So of course I started thinking, "Hmm...there must be a better way to do this" and took Chris' advice and asked God for further clarification.

Turns out that when God told me not to hold back with my words, He didn't mean talk more and more! He actually meant listen more, but don't hold back from saying the things that need to be said in love and truth. Be wise and discerning, choosing my words carefully, not blurting everything I say out loud without discretion.

Thank God for clarifying this! I can see now the distinction between opening your heart and sharing things with only a select few that I trust, and speaking into people's lives whenever He prompts me to...those two do not necessarily have to be connected! You can speak into people's lives without having to share everything in your heart. I get it now! What a relief! I was getting pretty sick of constantly thinking that the principle of living a transparent and honest life meant exposing everything to everyone. It was a pretty scary place to live at!

"But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." - Luke 2:19

May I be given wisdom and discernment to know who to trust, and what to share, and what the Lord has revealed to me that is for my heart alone. Amen!