Thoughts, Words and Actions

Psalm 19:13a – 14
“Keep back your servant also from the insolent (or from proud thoughts); do not let them have dominion over me… Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O lord, my rock and my redeemer.”
Thoughts are just as destructive as words or actions. While the latter two are audible, visible, out in the open for all to see, the former are hidden and private. While the latter two immediately affect both the one who speaks and acts, and those who hear the words and see the actions, the former affects primarily the one who harbors the thoughts. It is true that every word we speak and every action we take has its seed in our thoughts. Indeed, thoughts are like seeds that develop unseen within the inner chambers of our hearts, and they burst out into the open, manifest themselves as the fruit of our words and actions. Thoughts affect primarily the one within whom they live; proud and evil thoughts will then manifest in proud and evil actions. Sometimes we keep them within us, not allowing them to translate into words or actions, but that does not make us less proud or less evil. Others may not see or hear them, but we know those thoughts within us; they stay with us, they fester as does a cancer and they eat us up as worms within a fruit. Worms destroy things from the inside, but ultimately what happens inside will show with the deterioration of the fruit or plant on the outside. So are evil thoughts we keep within us, they ultimately manifest in divers physical and emotional ailments. So in the end, whether we express them or keep them within, they will ultimately come out into the open, they will ultimately affect those around us. What then are we to do? What then is the remedy? I believe the remedy lies in our willingness to confess our evil thoughts. Confession is one way to express our proud and evil thoughts in a non-destructive way. In fact, the way of confession is the way to healing, it purges us of those destructive thoughts before they can germinate and bear fruit.

A Prayer
Lord, help me to purge myself of any proud, insolent and evil thoughts. Give me the faith to believe that you will forgive and the assurance that I am forgiven. Above all, give me the courage to confess to those against whom I have harbored evil thoughts, that I may be restored through their forgiveness. Purge me of all destructive thoughts and let there remain in me only what is acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.