Think before you speak so that you speak life in love. Ever been faced with difficulties and had someone try to help but their words really didn’t? We need to seek wisdom from the Holy Spirit so that when we speak to someone in a difficult situation, we can speak life in love as God requires. Before you speak, consider what it is God would have you say so that you have the right words for the situation.
Speak life into difficulties
When facing difficulties and seeking to speak the right words in alignment with a biblical view, it’s essential to draw wisdom and guidance from the teachings of the Bible. Here are some examples of how to speak life in love during challenging times:
Encouragement through Scripture:
Share relevant Bible verses that provide comfort and hope. For example, during times of uncertainty, you might share Philippians 4:6-7, which encourages believers not to be anxious but to pray with thanksgiving.
Prayerful Support:
Offer to pray with and for the person experiencing difficulties. Let them know that you are seeking God’s guidance and intervention on their behalf. James 5:16 emphasizes the power of prayer within the community of believers.
Words of Comfort:
Provide words of comfort and assurance, reminding the person of God’s love and faithfulness. Psalm 34:18 states that the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Avoiding Harsh Judgment:
Refrain from harsh or judgmental words. Instead, approach the situation with empathy and understanding, following Jesus’s example of compassion and forgiveness (Matthew 9:36, Matthew 18:21-22).
Listening with Empathy:
Sometimes, the right words are not spoken but heard through active listening. Proverbs 18:13 encourages us to listen before answering, showing that we value the other person’s feelings and concerns.
Offering Practical Help:
Beyond words, offer practical assistance in line with biblical teachings on love and service. Galatians 5:13 reminds believers to serve one another in love.
Speaking Truth in Love:
If necessary, speak truthfully, but do so with love and gentleness. Ephesians 4:15 advises believers to speak the truth in love, growing in every way more like Christ.
Speak life through guidance from the Holy Spirit
In every situation, seek guidance from the Holy Spirit through prayer, allowing God’s wisdom to shape your words and actions. Remember the overarching commandment of love, as stated in Matthew 22:39, and strive to reflect God’s love in all interactions.
This year I am using the 365 Daily Devotions book I received for Christmas and applying it towards being dads. It’s called WALKING WITH GOD by DAVID JEREMIAH. It’s exciting to get to learn from a new resource this year as we have tried different options the past two years and will keep working through this one for 2024. For more information about the author and his ministry, visit: DavidJeremiah.org.
Topic: THE RIGHT WORDS
Verse: Job 42:7 (NIV)
After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.
Firstly, let’s be the dads who speak the truth of God into the lives of our wives and kids. Additionally, let’s be the dads who lean into God for guidance from the Holy Spirit to be able to speak life in love into and over our wives and kids. Moreover, let’s be the dads who lean in and trust God like Job even when we are dealing with or walking thru difficulties.
Speak life using the right source – God’s Word
Today’s Devotional emphasizes clarity, drawing a parallel between handwritten maps and modern GPS digital ones. It illustrates how handwritten maps can lead us astray if they lack essential landmarks or roads. I recall a time when GPS devices initially emerged, and during the construction of new subdivisions, they also faced similar challenges.
Encourage when you speak life into a person’s situation
Today’s Devotional speaks to the importance of have the right source, the best map, so that “when we encourage and comfort our friends” we as pointing and sharing the Word of God. Let’s not get tripped up like Job’s friends who started out well in trying to comfort him but then got tripped up by their own wisdom.
Speak life from God’s Word rather than human truth
Today’s Devotional shares how “our encouragement must include wise biblical counsel-the truth that comes straight from the heart and mind of God.” Today, let’s avoid falling into the pitfall of thinking we know it all and start leaning into our own knowledge instead of leaning into God’s wisdom. Not human truth but God’s truth! Let’s use God’s Word so we don’t lead them astray with “a false roadmap that will send them in the wrong direction.”
Today’s Devotional closes with this challenge: “Encourage and comfort your friends today by using the truth found in God’s Word.”
God does not always provide explanations for your difficulties, but He does provide the promises in of His Word.
WARREN W. WIERSBE
