Proverbs 16:1,
“The reflections of the heart belong to man,
but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.”
The thing that grabs me about this verse is that last line, because, effectively it says that the answer of the tongue is really, really, really true. It is so true that the only adequate way to describe the intensity of it’s truth, is to say it’s from the LORD. What I see in this verse is a truth which I believe; that you don’t really know your thoughts and feelings until you try to communicate them.
Now, I do not believe that “from the LORD” is strictly figurative. Neither would I get hung up on the idea that, “from the LORD” is a statement of origin. Perhaps it is a statement of effect: the effects of putting thoughts out in the open; honesty, healing, peace, order; these things could be thought of as Godly. Think about how often God and revelation are associated with light. Communication sheds light upon your thoughts. That light may affirm the truth of your secret thoughts, or completely debunk them as dysfunctional garbage. If the former is true, you’ll get confident. If the latter is true you will get free. Either way, you will have seen the light.
See Also:
Andrew K. Banks 