What Faith Can Do

Topic: The power of the tongue

Focus: Showers of blessing

Proverbs 12:25 (NKJV) Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad.

You’ve spent time wondering how you will ever come through this period of your life and be able to know true and lasting happiness. In spite of everything you’ve tried, your cares and concerns weigh on you and have affected the way you look at practically everything. When you read encouraging words, you feel better for a while, but the heaviness seems to always be in the near distance—like a dark gray thundercloud moving in your direction. You want to believe that at some point relief will fall like rain, and the dark cloud will go away.

There is a way to speed the process. It may still take some time—but there is the promise of hope, if you can find the will to put your faith to work. If you’re ever going to make real progress, you’re going to have to exercise—not the usual stuff like push-ups or sit-ups or spending time on a treadmill. The exercises you’re going to have to do involve speaking some words about yourself that are good.

Proverbs 12:25 is a tiny little verse—but it packs a powerful message. It reveals two simple facts that are profound. Let’s look at the first part. “Anxiety in the heart causes depression.” I’m sure you’ll agree anxiety has been a problem for you. Even though anxiety is a cause of depression, it’s a lot like the chicken and the egg. Once you’ve become depressed—whether anxiety may have helped cause it or not—is now just the tip of the iceberg. Things that might have never caused a moments anxiety before you were depressed, are now ‘new reasons’ to have even more anxiety. Once the cycle starts with anxiety and depression, one thing feeds the other until your anxiety makes you depressed and you’re depressed about your anxiety…and sometimes you wonder if you’re just going crazy. Well, you’re not going crazy. At least, you don’t have to.

The second part of Proverbs 12:25 says, “a good word makes it (your heart) glad.” The ‘good word’ is such a key thing toward getting relief to fall like rain. When you start getting serious about using your words in more productive and powerful ways—you will see not just rain, but showers of blessing coming your way.

(Read more below)

Now, you can listen and/or read!

I believe in the power of the tongue. I believe in it so whole-heartedly, I jump at the chance to tell any stranger I meet throughout the day to ‘have a great day’. You might be puzzled at that, but let me tell you why I feel that way. It’s because I understand the power of the spoken word. According to scripture, we speak blessing and cursing with our mouth.

I want to have a good day. I want favor—and I want people to ‘bless me’. I want to be a blessing, too. So, I love telling people to have a great day…because—not always—but frequently, when I tell someone to have a great day, they will say, “You, too.” Well, what just happened? The blessing I spoke over them—came right back to me.

You might think that concept sounds silly and that it couldn’t possibly make any real difference if somebody tells you to have a great day. Well, if you don’t believe in it—it probably won’t make any difference. Having faith and believing are the reasons why it works.

Every time somebody blesses me back—I ‘receive it’ as a blessing—and I believe it will work for me. The Word of God says it will. The more times I say it to someone else and the more they say it back to me—the more blessings I get.

When people aren’t nice enough to say, “You, too”—as soon as I’m out of their earshot, I say quietly—but verbally, “And I’ll have a great day, too.” I still use the fact they didn’t return the blessing to me, as an opportunity to speak a blessing over myself.

We’re told in the Bible that David encouraged himself in the Lord. Well, I believe it’s the Lord’s will for me to have a great day, and if I have the faith to say to myself out loud, ‘I’ll have a great day’—then I believe I will.

This is the kind of exercise I was referring to earlier. It’s simple—but I want you to put it to work. If you’re not around anyone to bless—just bless yourself. Go ahead. Just make your own declaration. Say, “I’m going to have a great day.” God will reward you for believing His Word works, and your days will start to improve—better than that—they’ll be great!

Declaration: I will find new strength by using every possible opportunity to bless others. I will look for chances to say kind words to people who might need to hear them as much as I do. I will bless others—even if they look like they don’t need a blessing. If people I bless don’t bless me back—it’s okay. I won’t resent them for it. If others don’t bless me—I’ll bless myself.

Topic: The power of the tongue

Focus: Showers of blessing

Proverbs 12:25 (NKJV) Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad.

You’ve spent time wondering how you will ever come through this period of your life and be able to know true and lasting happiness. In spite of everything you’ve tried, your cares and concerns weigh on you and have affected the way you look at practically everything. When you read encouraging words, you feel better for a while, but the heaviness seems to always be in the near distance—like a dark gray thundercloud moving in your direction. You want to believe that at some point relief will fall like rain, and the dark cloud will go away.

There is a way to speed the process. It may still take some time—but there is the promise of hope, if you can find the will to put your faith to work. If you’re ever going to make real progress, you’re going to have to exercise—not the usual stuff like push-ups or sit-ups or spending time on a treadmill. The exercises you’re going to have to do involve speaking some words about yourself that are good.

Proverbs 12:25 is a tiny little verse—but it packs a powerful message. It reveals two simple facts that are profound. Let’s look at the first part. “Anxiety in the heart causes depression.” I’m sure you’ll agree anxiety has been a problem for you. Even though anxiety is a cause of depression, it’s a lot like the chicken and the egg. Once you’ve become depressed—whether anxiety may have helped cause it or not—is now just the tip of the iceberg. Things that might have never caused a moments anxiety before you were depressed, are now ‘new reasons’ to have even more anxiety. Once the cycle starts with anxiety and depression, one thing feeds the other until your anxiety makes you depressed and you’re depressed about your anxiety…and sometimes you wonder if you’re just going crazy. Well, you’re not going crazy. At least, you don’t have to.

The second part of Proverbs 12:25 says, “a good word makes it (your heart) glad.” The ‘good word’ is such a key thing toward getting relief to fall like rain. When you start getting serious about using your words in more productive and powerful ways—you will see not just rain, but showers of blessing coming your way.

(Read more below)

Now, you can listen and/or read!

 

I believe in the power of the tongue. I believe in it so whole-heartedly, I jump at the chance to tell any stranger I meet throughout the day to ‘have a great day’. You might be puzzled at that, but let me tell you why I feel that way. It’s because I understand the power of the spoken word. According to scripture, we speak blessing and cursing with our mouth.

I want to have a good day. I want favor—and I want people to ‘bless me’. I want to be a blessing, too. So, I love telling people to have a great day…because—not always—but frequently, when I tell someone to have a great day, they will say, “You, too.” Well, what just happened? The blessing I spoke over them—came right back to me.

You might think that concept sounds silly and that it couldn’t possibly make any real difference if somebody tells you to have a great day. Well, if you don’t believe in it—it probably won’t make any difference. Having faith and believing are the reasons why it works.

Every time somebody blesses me back—I ‘receive it’ as a blessing—and I believe it will work for me. The Word of God says it will. The more times I say it to someone else and the more they say it back to me—the more blessings I get.

When people aren’t nice enough to say, “You, too”—as soon as I’m out of their earshot, I say quietly—but verbally, “And I’ll have a great day, too.” I still use the fact they didn’t return the blessing to me, as an opportunity to speak a blessing over myself.

We’re told in the Bible that David encouraged himself in the Lord. Well, I believe it’s the Lord’s will for me to have a great day, and if I have the faith to say to myself out loud, ‘I’ll have a great day’—then I believe I will.

This is the kind of exercise I was referring to earlier. It’s simple—but I want you to put it to work. If you’re not around anyone to bless—just bless yourself. Go ahead. Just make your own declaration. Say, “I’m going to have a great day.” God will reward you for believing His Word works, and your days will start to improve—better than that—they’ll be great!

Declaration: I will find new strength by using every possible opportunity to bless others. I will look for chances to say kind words to people who might need to hear them as much as I do. I will bless others—even if they look like they don’t need a blessing. If people I bless don’t bless me back—it’s okay. I won’t resent them for it. If others don’t bless me—I’ll bless myself.

Focus: Showers of blessing

Proverbs 12:25 (NKJV) Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad.

You’ve spent time wondering how you will ever come through this period of your life and be able to know true and lasting happiness. In spite of everything you’ve tried, your cares and concerns weigh on you and have affected the way you look at practically everything. When you read encouraging words, you feel better for a while, but the heaviness seems to always be in the near distance—like a dark gray thundercloud moving in your direction. You want to believe that at some point relief will fall like rain, and the dark cloud will go away.

There is a way to speed the process. It may still take some time—but there is the promise of hope, if you can find the will to put your faith to work. If you’re ever going to make real progress, you’re going to have to exercise—not the usual stuff like push-ups or sit-ups or spending time on a treadmill. The exercises you’re going to have to do involve speaking some words about yourself that are good.

Proverbs 12:25 is a tiny little verse—but it packs a powerful message. It reveals two simple facts that are profound. Let’s look at the first part. “Anxiety in the heart causes depression.” I’m sure you’ll agree anxiety has been a problem for you. Even though anxiety is a cause of depression, it’s a lot like the chicken and the egg. Once you’ve become depressed—whether anxiety may have helped cause it or not—is now just the tip of the iceberg. Things that might have never caused a moments anxiety before you were depressed, are now ‘new reasons’ to have even more anxiety. Once the cycle starts with anxiety and depression, one thing feeds the other until your anxiety makes you depressed and you’re depressed about your anxiety…and sometimes you wonder if you’re just going crazy. Well, you’re not going crazy. At least, you don’t have to.

The second part of Proverbs 12:25 says, “a good word makes it (your heart) glad.” The ‘good word’ is such a key thing toward getting relief to fall like rain. When you start getting serious about using your words in more productive and powerful ways—you will see not just rain, but showers of blessing coming your way.

(read more below)

Now, you can listen and/or read!

 

I believe in the power of the tongue. I believe in it so whole-heartedly, I jump at the chance to tell any stranger I meet throughout the day to ‘have a great day’. You might be puzzled at that, but let me tell you why I feel that way. It’s because I understand the power of the spoken word. According to scripture, we speak blessing and cursing with our mouth.

I want to have a good day. I want favor—and I want people to ‘bless me’. I want to be a blessing, too. So, I love telling people to have a great day…because—not always—but frequently, when I tell someone to have a great day, they will say, “You, too.” Well, what just happened? The blessing I spoke over them—came right back to me.

You might think that concept sounds silly and that it couldn’t possibly make any real difference if somebody tells you to have a great day. Well, if you don’t believe in it—it probably won’t make any difference. Having faith and believing are the reasons why it works.

Every time somebody blesses me back—I ‘receive it’ as a blessing—and I believe it will work for me. The Word of God says it will. The more times I say it to someone else and the more they say it back to me—the more blessings I get.

When people aren’t nice enough to say, “You, too”—as soon as I’m out of their earshot, I say quietly—but verbally, “And I’ll have a great day, too.” I still use the fact they didn’t return the blessing to me, as an opportunity to speak a blessing over myself.

We’re told in the Bible that David encouraged himself in the Lord. Well, I believe it’s the Lord’s will for me to have a great day, and if I have the faith to say to myself out loud, ‘I’ll have a great day’—then I believe I will.

This is the kind of exercise I was referring to earlier. It’s simple—but I want you to put it to work. If you’re not around anyone to bless—just bless yourself. Go ahead. Just make your own declaration. Say, “I’m going to have a great day.” God will reward you for believing His Word works, and your days will start to improve—better than that—they’ll be great!

Declaration: I will find new strength by using every possible opportunity to bless others. I will look for chances to say kind words to people who might need to hear them as much as I do. I will bless others—even if they look like they don’t need a blessing. If people I bless don’t bless me back—it’s okay. I won’t resent them for it. If others don’t bless me—I’ll bless myself.