The Power of Words
A devotional by Desiree Future
“Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”
— Proverbs 16:24 (KJV)
Just returning from my break, a woman approached me. She looked a little bit troubled. With crossed arms and furrowed brows, she immediately began to ramble. Noticing her body language of frustration and not wanting to further her initial angered state, I replied in the best way I could. Smiling brightly, I responded “Good morning.” The woman took a deep breath and relaxed her hunched shoulders. Replacing her frown with a smile, she greeted me as well.
She asked me if I knew where the doctor’s office was in the building. I assisted her so she could find her way. She shook my hand in a thankful gesture before heading in the right direction to her appointment.
In this thing we call life, someone is always going through something. My private matters can be ten times worse than yours. The person standing in front of you in the grocery line could have issues the size of Texas. Unless you know them personally, you cannot understand the depth of their pain.
Real-life scenarios that cause deep pain include but are not limited to: A man evicted from his apartment desperately seeks shelter for his wife and their kids. A single mother of four children struggles to decide whether to pay the electric bill or feed her hungry kids. An older gentleman without health insurance franticly searches for ways to pay for his much-needed surgery so he can return to work.
What is going on in the minds of people who are suffering is more than likely reflected on their faces. The weight of the world is beating them down to the ground. Feelings of heartache and despair have taken up permanent residency in the place where their beautiful smile once resided.
The examples of everyday stories above are just a few of the troubles we might go through in our lives. For most of us having to endure any hardship is very difficult, especially if you’ve never been in that place before. In times like this, we all need to hear a kind word. I brought a smile to that woman’s face simply by saying “Good morning.” That was all it took to change her demeanor. My simple greeting to her could have meant she didn’t hurt herself or someone else.
Some people say that words are irrelevant and mean absolutely nothing. However, I beg to differ because I’ve seen and heard a lot in the fifty-plus years of my life. I’ve had hurtful and painful things hurled at me like daggers from all different sides. All I wanted to do was cry because my circumstances were so bad and beyond my control. But by the grace of God, I’ve experienced a healing touch that is as light as a feather. God saw fit to mend my wounds by putting people in my life to help me along the way.
God often puts people in your life to guide you in the direction you must go. Whether they come and give you a five-second encouraging word or become your life-long confidant, He will send you a rescuer just for you.
Remember: Words say and do more than you know. It’s how you choose to use them that’s important. Saying “Good morning” or “Thank you” or “Please” and “Goodnight” goes a long way. You never know what someone is going through and whether they need to hear something to make them stronger.
Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, I pray that the person reading this will understand that they are just as powerful as the words they use. Let them speak life into others by lifting them up and not tearing them down. Help us all to be more like You. In Jesus's Name, I pray. Amen.
Song of Reflection #1: “Speak Life” by TobyMac. Listen to it here.
Song of Reflection #2: “Rescue” by Lauren Daigle. Listen to it here.
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Author Bio:
Desiree Future is a self-improvement blogger at “Hope Faith & A Smile” where she pens inspirational and encouraging posts.
This blog that she started as a place for her upcoming novel turned into something far more than she expected. It developed into a home for conversations with people from all walks of life. By writing about everyday events that occur in her world she makes her posts very relatable. As some commenters have said, “Desiree talks to us and not at us.”
In 2013, she self-published The Pastor’s Heart, a Christian romance novel. The following year in 2014, she self-published its sequel, It’s a New Season.
Desiree has been a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) since 2020. She’s also been a member of a writing critique group through her local ACFW Chapter since 2021. Several of her articles have appeared on the official blog for ACFW. In 2022, she became a contributing author in the encouraging devotional, The Courage to Write.
This child of God may not have a church home yet, but God is first in her life.
Desiree is a cancer survivor who calls New Jersey home. She enjoys traveling to different places to spark ideas for her next article. She likes thrifting and going to the theater to see the latest matinee.
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Connect with Desiree:
E-mail: desireefuturewrites@hotmail.com
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