~Finding Your Voice~

4I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,

5because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints;

6and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ's sake.

7For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

Philemon 1: 5-7

So often when we speak of "finding our voice" it means that we get brave enough to rashly speak our minds. At times this may be a good thing, but so frequently this is merely opening the way for sin to enter our lives.

And yet, there are times when someone else finds their voice, or rather recalls the words of scripture and with that voice come to us and tell us what we need to hear. At that time our voice should be a willing "thank you" rather than a complaining or grumbling spirit.

When I was dealing with some hard things in my life I found several friends who would listen to me. They would listen for minutes, for hours, for days,weeks, months.... they were there. BUT... they would also tell me when my voice crossed from sharing a hurting heart to becoming a grumbling spirit. I am so thankful for that. God calls us into fellowship with other believers and it is such a wonderful opportunity to truly love one another. We can weep with those who weep, laugh with those who laugh, and give sound advice... godly advice... not our own words, but God's very own word... to one another.

Sometimes finding your voice means you are open to sharing your pain and allowing others to guide you in a godly way through your time of grief, and other times finding your voice means simply speaking the word of God to another lost sinner searching for God's truths.

I am so thankful that my friends found their voices and spoke, and continue to speak, God's word into my life and so help me to follow him more clearly. My heart truly continues to be refreshed through those whom God has placed in my life. I pray you both have and are such godly people yourselves!
Shalom,
Kim