Speaking the Truth in Love with Boldness and Grace - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - June 5, 2026

Audio By Carbonatix

"Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love" (Ephesians 4:15-16, ESV).

Several years ago, I reconnected with a college friend who moved back to the area because of her career. Truth be told, we were not very close when we went to school together, but we did attend some of the same classes together and hung out at the same parties. She and I were quite the party animals back then, so it was exciting for me to find out that, since college graduation, she, too, had become a Christ follower. 

I reached out to her on Facebook and asked if we could meet up sometime when she got settled in her new place. She gave me her phone number, and we set up a time for her to come over and visit. We had such an amazing conversation while my little one played in my living room. Considering our wild college days, it was a beautiful picture of redemption to see us reconnect and talk about the Lord! Over the next few months, our relationship truly blossomed, and we spent time praying together and talking about things we were learning in the Word. We seemed to be on the same page theologically until one day, when she texted me from the weekend she spent at a women's conference, telling me that the Lord had given her instructions about her future. The problem was that what she told me plainly contradicted scripture. I had two choices: encourage her to pursue what she believed the Lord was telling her to do, or lovingly correct her and lead her to what the Bible says on the matter, knowing very well that I might offend her by questioning whether she had heard from God. 

I chose to point her to the truth found in God's Holy Word. This situation happened a couple more times in our friendship, and each time, her reaction to loving, Biblical correction negatively affected our relationship, until, unfortunately, one day she decided it was best not to speak on matters of theology. She did choose to follow what she believed the Lord was telling her to do and moved to a different state, continuing to participate in unbiblical practices and beliefs. It was just a matter of time before the friendship faded, and we both moved onward. Of course, it saddens me that our friendship had to end this way, but I can rest in the knowledge that I obeyed the Lord by following what the Bible tells all Christians to do: speak the truth in love. 

"Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love" (Ephesians 4:15-16, ESV).

Speaking the truth in love isn't about winning an argument or wielding the Bible to attack others' beliefs; It is about lovingly guiding people back to scripture so that the Body of Christ can be built up in the knowledge of God, and so that we can be equipped to minister for God's glory. Truth offends, but our delivery does not need to be offensive. We long to see others walk in the truth so that we can see lives changed and the gospel go forth. Truth divides, but we do not want to be divisive with our words as if we are trying to prove ourselves right. It's not about being right (God is right); We want to learn how to divide God's Word together and grow spiritually rightly. It can be intimidating to stand up for and speak the truth; it often makes us uncomfortable because we don't want to come across as a "know-it-all" or someone who loves confrontation. Yet we show love for God and for others by pointing them to the truth found in God's Word. We can only do that with His help. May we ask for the boldness to lovingly share His truth with others so that they can be free of the entanglement of lies and deception, and they can be equipped in and built up in His love. 

Dear Lord,

I know that Your Word commands us as Christians to speak the truth in love. This task isn't always easy because we might fear rejection from those we've been called to reach. I ask You to empower me with Your grace and that Your Spirit would endow me with boldness. Help me to renew my mind with Your Word. Help me care enough to speak up so that others are not also led into deception. Truth matters because souls matter to You, and You want to see the Body of Christ walking in truth and love so that we can shine brightly for the world. In Jesus' name, amen.

Photo credit: fstop123 from Getty Images Signature via CanvaPro

Emily Massey began writing short stories and poetry as a little girl, entered the blogging world in her early 20s, and published her first book in 2015. She enjoys being a homeschooling momma of four boys, while still being able to pursue her passion as a writer. Believing she has been forgiven much, she loves much, and desires to point others to Christ and His redemptive and transforming power, especially by sharing truth found in God’s written word. If you would like to connect with Emily, you can visit www.emilyrosemassey.com.

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Today we're doing something a little different. Instead of going deep in a passage, we're talking about what to do when deep feels like too much — when you need less, not more. Specifically, I'm walking you through one of my favorite practices for weary seasons: handwriting scripture.

Not typing it. Not scrolling past it. Actually writing it out, slowly, in your own hand — because something happens in your brain when you do that. The words land differently. They go deeper. And over time, they become part of that personal library of God's voice that the Holy Spirit can pull from when you need it most. That's what Psalm 119:11 means when it says I have hidden your word in my heart — it's scripture moving into your long-term memory, where it lives and stays even when you haven't opened your Bible in weeks.

I'm sharing the five verses I wrote out for myself today — and why each one hit me fresh even though I've known some of them for years. This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to follow the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!