Saying Only What He Gives

One morning I disagreed with someone. Although I wanted to state my disagreement, I could sense my words would not be spoken in love, so I fled to my Refuge by silently praying, "You're my Refuge, Lord. I hide in You. I won't say a word You don't provide."

I knew that meant I must trust Jesus to give me the words to say and to say only those words. I remembered the promise that if I abided in Him I would bear much fruit. That was my deep desire, so I trusted Him and said only what He gave me to say.

Another time I saw someone doing something I thought was wrong. I wanted to demand it be corrected, but I also sensed that wrong words would be worse than no words.

We were with other people so I couldn't go pray alone, so I began to pray silently. It was about twenty minutes before I reached the point of faith where I knew God had heard, that He was going to work and I wouldn't have to force my opinion. I released the situation to the Lord and felt free. I was trusting so the outcome was entirely God's. I had turned it over to Him.

We're prone to be like Peter who, wanting to protect Jesus when the soldiers came, lopped off an ear. (John 18:10) How often we want to defend God's cause and help others see truth, but in our protective zeal, we lop off ears. Instead of helping Jesus' cause, we cut off people's ability to hear Him.

Thank You, Jesus, that the fruit You give is much better than what I can produce with my own efforts.
    
"The Spirit of the LORD speaks through me; his words are upon my tongue" (2 Samuel 23:2).
"For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say" (John 12:49, 50).

Memory Verse for January  "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love" (Ephesians 4:2).