Have you ever considered that your words can actually bring healing to others? Indeed, you have the capacity to nourish or injure someone with what comes out of your mouth... and sometimes what doesn't come out of your mouth. Recently, the Lord impressed upon me to be more deliberate and outwardly grateful to those I truly appreciate. To not only think well of someone, but to tell them exactly what I appreciate about them with my voice. Verbal sunshine, if you will. And so my quest to use my words to express genuine admiration and care for others began. And I have to say, I'm grateful to the Lord for pointing out this exercise to me.
You see, I am an introvert. And while I do try to be deliberate and uplifting with my words, I don't always make the effort to actually speak up and compliment outwardly. Sometimes, I just think well of a person, but sadly, I don't always venture out to tell them. What a waste! Especially when scripture says our words can be gracious, sweet to the soul, healing! Sure, it is easy to speak recklessly and critically. It is commonplace to complain and grumble. Because of this, many of us go to God in prayer and petition, asking Him to reign in our tongues to prevent us from sinning and harming others with our words. However, there is more to it than that, isn't there? There IS the talking. When we do open our mouths. When we do speak. When we SHOULD speak.
I was missing that last one. When I should speak. When I should open my lips to not only praise the Lord, but to use my words to love on others... and to do so frequently. Rather than assume that those around me just knew how I felt, God started prodding me to actually say so. To speak up!!! You see, my withholding His loving information was not helping anyone. My assumption that "they already knew what I thought" were shortchanging His blessings!
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)
So, what happens when you speak up wisely in Christ and purposefully express loving, healing, truthful, appreciative words to those around you? What happens when you make choices to intentionally give with your voice? WOW! The Holy Spirit joins in the conversation!!! Blessed hearts show outward joy! Eyes swell with hopeful tears. Spiritual appetites are fed and blessed. In fact, now I look at how and when I speak as an opportunity to "spiritually take someone out to dinner"... for that is exactly what it feels like. God is using me to nourish a recipient with the best fruit - the Fruit of the Spirit! And whether my recipient realizes it or not, EVERYONE yearns for Jesus' feast and bounty. Everyone benefits from His verbal love!
So friends, today I encourage you to not only guard your lips against evil, but to also consider when you should speak up - using your words wisely and often. Begin your own quest and choose to use your lips for good. Choose to speak with God's love. Your words can be His healing medicine. So allow the Great Physician to do His good work in you and through you. For there is always, always something to appreciate in Jesus' Name. There is always an opportunity to care and love with your voice - uplifting others in honor of God's Kingdom. So speak up! Don't hold back! Offer His gracious honeycomb this day and taste the sweetness of His love as it leaves your mouth and penetrates a heart He has come to bless. The Holy Spirit lives in you. So let Him speak for you as well. Be the instrument that plays His sweet, new song! Hallelujah!
Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. (Proverbs 16:24)
Blessings!
~Victoria
© The Devoted Woman | Victoria Anderson
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