Insults, shameful comments, criticisms—all are words intended to hurt you. If you have a verbal abuser in your home, school, or neighborhood, you know how those remarks can wound your heart. They can even make you feel sick. Often no one else is around to hear the cruel words, and there is no one to comfort.
Michelle was overweight, and people teased her or criticized her about it. “Oink! Oink!” the neighbor boy said when she walked by. “Blubber body!” the kids at school called her. “Michelle, you’ll never slim down if you eat all that ice cream,” her mom lectured her. “Don’t you want to look pretty like your big sister?” Grandma asked her. An old nursery rhyme says, “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” Words may not make you bleed, but they definitely hurt—badly. In fact, abusive words can take far longer to heal than broken bones or cuts.
If insults have wounded you, go directly to Jesus with your hurt. He himself said he was sent to heal the brokenhearted. (Luke 4:18; Isaiah 61:1) Ask him to heal your heart from the pain caused by scornful words. Believe it or not, God can comfort you better than any person on earth. In fact, the Holy Spirit is called the “Comforter.” Comforting is one of his most important jobs. “I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.” (John 14:16 KJV) God says you are worthy, valuable, and made in his image. And God loves you just the way you are!
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