I witnessed a really heartwarming moment during an evening of VBS this summer. This little fella was just wailing when he ran into the church building. As he cried, he ran to find his mama, pointing to the outside where he had just been playing with a group of kids, when something went terribly wrong at his game station. He was absolutely distraught about something that had just happened out there and came to the home of his mother’s arms for comfort and help. I was so impressed by this loving mom who, stooped down to his eye level, held him close and calmly kept repeating in his ear “Use your words, tell me what’s wrong, use your words.” After a few moments and after he had told her what happened, and received her wise suggestions, he was calm and ready to go back out there and rejoin the fun.

Wouldn’t it be a much better world if we would all just use our words, and take the advice of wise counsel and rejoin, with new insight, the situations that cause us such upset? But where do we turn when we aren’t kids anymore and we just want to run to someone and empty out all the hurt and the rage that overwhelms us? I don’t have all the answers, but I know a Person to bring your questions to. A Friend that never condemns you or betrays your confidences.

In the Bible, we are taught that we have a Savior that cares for us and that wants us to bring all our cares to Him. 1 Peter 5:6-7 says, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties upon him, because He cares for you.” Not just some anxieties or things that crush your spirit, but ALL of them. Whatever you’ve experienced in your past, whatever you’re going through right now and even those things the future holds. You are His child, and just like that mother whispering in her young child’s ear, Christ invites you to use your words to tell Him everything that concerns you. In fact, He delights in it because He delights in you.

Sometimes we don’t know the words to pray. Or we open our mouth and all that comes out are groans and sobs. Have you been there? The Bible tells us in Romans 8:26, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” He’s got you covered even when you can’t use your words. He has searched your heart and knows what you so desperately need from Him and prays that prayer for you. It’s like having a soul translator communicating on your behalf. That is the Holy Spirit and He is for you! He is your greatest Advocate and Comfort.

The next verse assures us that our answer will be perfect because it is in the will of God. Romans 8:27 goes on to say, “And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” There is that “will of God” clause. That’s where the 1st Peter verses shed some light. To choose God’s will over our own requires us to humble ourselves. God loves humility. Jesus embodied it. In the Garden of Gethsemane, when the emotional pain was so great that he sweat blood, He remained committed to His Father’s will, not His own. He used His words and surrendered to God’s will till His dying breath.

I believe God answers every prayer according to His timing and the ultimate outcome of His will. To deny that would be to deny the sovereignty of God. He is in control. Sometimes the answers to my prayers look just like I wanted them to. Sometimes they do not and sometimes I don’t see the answer at all, yet. But I know if I use my words and pray the “will of God clause,” and mean it, I have done the most important thing and all that is left to do is to trust Him. And He has more than earned that trust.

The apostle Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “Pray without ceasing.” I believe this means that we are to remain in a constant attitude of communication with our Savior. It can be done, no getting on your knees required. Words, from your mind, directed to our God. A song to hum, a verse to meditate on, or a Christian podcast preaching into your ear pods while you do housework or gardening. Taking seriously what is taught in Colossians 3:17, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” That means the mundane as well as the great. Asking ourselves how the manner in which we conduct our lives pleases God, just like His Son did. This would be using our words for God’s glory. And isn’t that the ultimate goal on this journey? Giving Him glory.

I look back with regret to the times when my words were so poorly chosen. Thinking I had to fill a silence, I’d just say something whether it was appropriate or not. Thank goodness I serve a forgiving God and had forgiving friends and family that were on the receiving end. Words can hurt and there is no shortcut to always knowing the right things to say, plus even if we think we are saying the right things, we have no control over how others receive our comments. Words can hurt, cause people to run away from us, or worst of all, think badly of our Lord since the hearers know we are supposed to be His followers. Be quick to apologize and forgive when the words spoken land wrong in the ears and hearts of the hearers.

Ultimately, we should be using our words in a way that reflects how we use God’s Word to transform us into the godly women we long to be. Listen as others use their words and humbly pray for grace to always speak the truth in love. And with that calmed heart, let’s go back out there and enjoy the blessings of our days.