One of the battles I face is feeling confident in my own voice.
I don’t really mean in a big context: even just having the confidence to speak the truth to a friend, or someone who needs to hear it.
Some people are bold, confident and persuasive. They may not even be right, but they are sure of themselves! Others, like me, find it hard to say what I think, even when I believe the Lord has given me something to say, and my job is to be obedient.
Of course, that doesn’t mean I am always right! I need to be careful to stay close to Scripture and open to correction. And there’s definitely a place to be wise and loving in how we speak in our cut-throat social media culture.
But, what if God really does want to use my little voice (or even my little pen) for His purposes? If it’s His prompting, I am called to be obedient!
I was encouraged the other day when I read in the book of Job about Elihu. You may know a little bit about Job: he was a man who suffered a great deal, and learned a great deal about letting God be God. He was in a huge amount of pain, wrestling with deep questions, and his 3 friends spoke strongly and persuasively, trying to persuade Job that he must be suffering because he had done something wrong.
But God made it clear later that they had not been speaking from His heart. They were sure, and they were persuasive, and they even referenced God in their arguments (and I think some of what they said contained truth), but God did not agree with their arguments.
That encourages me already: the loud and persuasive people aren’t necessarily right!
And then there was Elihu. He hung back because he was younger than the others. He was hesitant to speak (I can relate to that!). But he came to a conclusion that encourages me: wisdom doesn’t come from age, but from the Lord.
” So Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, answered and said:
‘”I am young in years, and you are very old;
Therefore I was afraid,
And dared not declare my opinion to you.
I said, ‘Age should speak,
And multitude of years should teach wisdom.’
But there is a spirit in man,
And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.
Great men are not always wise,
Nor do the aged always understand justice.”‘ Job 32:6-9
Elihu’s words above encourage me.
Elihu hung back and hesitated, and then he realised that wisdom comes from God.
Wisdom doesn’t come from being louder and more persuasive, or even older.
Wisdom comes from the Lord.
That encourages me when I feel that the Lord wants me to share something.
The other person may be older. They may be louder, and more persuasive.
But that doesn’t mean I can’t speak out, too, with prayers for wisdom and dependence on the Lord.
And knowing I am loved by Father could change everything. He gives me my identity. He loves me. He knows what I am going to say before I say it. He understands.
And He even wants to use me!
So I guess I can keep my eyes on my Father, pray for His wisdom, depend on Him, and dare to step out and speak!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Caroline Abblitt 