Buckets

But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future]. (John 16:13, AMP)

A close friend recently told me, a key person in her life called her a wimp. I told her to create a word bucket for herself. She looked puzzled. I explained.

First, I asked her if she thought she was a wimp. She looked at me, as if she was in shock. She thought I was going to say, “Oh that’s not true. You’re not a wimp. They don't know what they are talking about.” 

It matters less what I think about her than it does about what she thinks about her.

Word Buckets:
People say a lot of things. Words are sometimes used to hurt so they fit in the hurt bucket, not the truth bucket. Words are sometimes used in order to attempt to control us. Those words go in the control bucket, not the truth bucket. Only true words belong in the truth bucket. Do you see where I’m going with this?

Listen, sometimes people just say stuff. And a lot of days, most people say too much stuff. They may say things out of anger, or frustration, their own hurt, or whatever. I always say…now remember this, this is so important…write this down, 

"Just because someone says something, doesn't make what they said, true."

Ok...the other side. Sometimes, people say some things that are true. And it hurts. It hurts because it is true. How can we productively handle these situations? Regardless of how it was sown (intended), we take it to our Father, He is the one who can make permanent change in us. Don't get caught up in how the words were "delivered". Use the words to work things out for good. Say, "Lord, please search my heart. I invite You by Your Holy Spirit to show me areas that must be dealt with. Give me a new heart, and renew a right spirit within me.” He’s always faithful! 

Father, I pray for every reader today. I pray wisdom in the name of Jesus. You word says if anyone lacks wisdom, all we have to do is ask and You give liberally. Thank You Father for the wisdom to know which bucket to put words into. But most of all thank You for Truth!

James 1:5

John 16:13