The saying: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” really isn’t true. Words and name calling do hurt. Hurts are physical as well as spiritual. Someone may physically injure us but most physical hurts heal. Not so with spiritual hurts. Some never find healing for this kind of hurt. We all have been hurt by someone’s disrespectful words. Nothing is as sad as watching two adults in verbal combat trying to one up the other with insults and cruel words. Question: what is the most hurtful word?

Hurtful words may be associated with cussing. Cussing is a form of profanity using vulgar words to disrespect, belittle, or threaten, a person or people verbally. We all have heard cuss words or phrases. Guess what? So has God. Many use God’s name in a way that dishonors God’s character. How foolish. God clearly warns all in Exodus 20:7 and Deuteronomy 5:11 not to use God’s name in vain. We will answer to God one day. Again, what is the most hurtful word?

Pull Quote

Avoid the sin of doing or saying what results in regret. Avoid this most hurtful word, hurting others, and hurting yourself.

The most hurtful word is regret. Yes, people’s words can be hurtful. Yet it’s not other people’s words that hurt the most. The most hurtful word is realizing what we have done to ourselves. Nothing hurts like the word regret. To regret is to look back and be horrified at what we have done or not done. Maybe it’s something you said to a person. Maybe it was being in a situation and we made a very poor choice or series of choices that disrespected or hurt another human being. Other people’s words will hurt, but they are easier to get over than the long term regret we have within ourselves. It’s really tough dealing with regrets. It’s no surprise that with so many school shootings the killer killed himself. Why? Because the tremendous guilt in one’s soul would be unbearable to deal with, not to mention society’s condemnation. Hello regret. Regrets really are the most hurtful long term.

So how do we deal with regrets? If you google “spiritual healing for regret” there is a wide assortment of remedies. I find it helpful to go with the acronym — K.I.S.S.: keep it simple smarty. One spiritual prescription I use for spiritual hurts is simply a good dose of I John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Receive in Jesus’ name healing from the wound that up until now is not healed from- the wound from the most hurtful word in existence-the word and wound called regret. Avoid the sin of doing or saying what results in regret. Avoid this most hurtful word, hurting others, and hurting yourself.