What Scripture Does in Us

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful and sharper than any two-edged

sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the

joints and marrow, and is a discernment of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

HEBREWS 4:12

How versatile and relatable the Scriptures are! When you’re hurting, they offer comfort; in

weakness, they offer strength; in confusion, they offer clarity. Whatever it is that you need, you are sure to find the answers in Scripture.

They teach,

exhort,

and rebuke.

They convict

and confront.

They are not just texts on a page; they are living words.

The Scriptures are described as a two-edged sword. Imagine a kitchen knife--it has the safe

blunt side and the cutting edge. Any wise person knows not to hold the knife by the cutting

edge. A kitchen knife is kind of like a gun with the safety on. A sword, however, has two sharp sides…a gun without the safety on. The two edges can cut and protect.

That is exactly what the Scriptures do; they protect you by providing guidance on how to live life in this broken world. They provide clarity in confusion, strength in weakness, and comfort in sorrow. They cut us by convicting us of our sin, and revealing the dark motives in our hearts. They sometimes literally break us to the point of tears.

The fortunate problem (I love this expression) is that you don’t get to decide how they affect

you. For example, there was a time when I really needed comfort from Scripture. I wanted a

hug, but what I got was a slap in the face. The Word rebuked me sharply, even though I was

reading a chapter describing the love of the Father. Whatever it is that you need--that is up for our Heavenly Father to decide.

He knows exactly what you need and when you need it, and if you trust Him completely, He knows exactly where to meet you...for He knows the very yearning of your spirit.

So my friend, be open to the feelings that the Word evokes in you while you study them. The Bible wasn’t written to be misunderstood. If you read and sudden guilt washes over you, pause and reflect; perhaps there is a sin you swept under the rug and never repented of. If you read and are crushed, perhaps He is cutting off the rot to allow new tissue to grow. We can know that He only ever crushes because He wants to rebuild, renew, and redeem.

He is constantly working in us and for us. God bless you!

Love, Gemma-Elizabeth

Me and my dear friend, Agatha, April 2026