"Use your words", is such a common phrase that's tenderly used when attempting to guide & slow children down in order to enable them to outwardly express their overwhelming inward emotion. Maybe, it's not that they don't have the words, but rather that they don't know which precise words to use. Consequently, what does end up spewing out are grunts & not so pretty actions.. The struggle of finding the appropriate words to express our inward emotions can be a life long endeavor, that thankfully can be learned. Some finding success at it & some not.
Our mouth instinctively seeks to declare & disclose whats in stored in our heart. Words are a natural response to communicate strong emotion; therefore, those things we deem important or value bubble to the top & out.. Silas & Paul in Acts 16 deemed it important to express their hearts in the form of praise when they found themselves in a pickle.
The praises they chose to verbalize didn't seem to match the dire circumstance they found themselves in. But, probably the words did match what they had been storing in their hearts as they went about their daily lives. Could it be that they had mastered David's longing in the Psalms?
Psalms19:14
So may the words of my mouth, my meditation-thoughts,
and every movement of my heart be always pure and pleasing,
acceptable before your eyes, Yahweh,
my only Redeemer, my Protector.
I imagine that these utterances expressing their heart of praise in a time of need were directed to God and to build their faith. They ended up doing just that, changing their outlook of their circumstance, altered the circumstance itself and even the hearts & lives of the unbelievers around them. These praises fell both on believing and unbelieving hearts & were able to change the trajectory of history & souls. The words stored up in their hearts did way more than they could ever imagine!
Negative utterances, grunts or attitudes come way easier for me than I'd like to admit. Therefore, I so desire to fill my daily mundane moments with conscious words of praise flowing from a heart of true thankfulness & humility, so that when the overwhelming emotional times arise my heart will "use its words" according to what I intentionally have been storing up in it.
Lord this is my prayer!
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