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Un-Gracious Confrontation

Word of the Day

The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious and adds persuasiveness to his lips. Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
Proverbs 16:23-24

September 2009... I found myself in a situation where I needed to confront someone in the moment. It was a time where I was deeply angry... and in the midst of my confrontation, I was loud... offensive... hurtful... irrational... and very animated. I sure did deliver a message, but my body language, choice of words and volume was deeply rude and hurtful do this individual.

The following morning, the Lord used this verse to show me that If I was wise I could be judicious and persuasive. It was also possible that my words could be gracious like honeycomb... sweet to the soul and bring health to the body. Needless to say, the Lord used this verse 5 years ago to bring deep conviction to me.

As I have continued to read Proverbs every month for the past 5 years, I have often been reminded of this verse each month on the 16th.

This week it happened again with an identical situation. Only this time I wasn't given an opportunity to talk with this person, rather I just vented my anger to myself and the people around me.

For the rest of the day, I grasped for the help of the Holy Spirit, but my flesh had such a grip on me.

The next morning I came to the Lord with great expectation that he would speak to me. Loud and clear did he SPEAK. As I read this verse again, I was overcome with brokenness. How could I be finding myself in the same situation 5 years later convicted by the same verse!? Bewildered and amazed, I simply worshiped the Lord and thanked him for His Grace, His Love and His Patience with me.... and the most amazing thing happened... my perspective began to change to a biblical perspective of my sin. His grace became so freshly amazing that I was no longer focused on the other person.

Lord, thank you for being so patient with me! Thank you for your grace and mercy over and over and over again. Please help me to have gracious words even in the midst of confrontation. Please continue to enlarge the perspective of my sin and the magnitude of your forgiveness that the Joy of my salvation overwhelms me. Please cause me to be so thankful for your forgiveness, that it is easy for me to forgive others regardless of the issue.

~ Rob Laizure