I was convicted the other night by a good friend with a statement she made. She was explaining how God could directly speak to us, like burning bush style, if He wanted to of course. After all, He is God so who is gonna argue that? She went on to say He would rather speak through us and give us the encouragement for one another. The problem is when we have this gift from God for someone else and we don't say it, we cause others pain.
Never before had I realized that when I chicken out and don't say something to people, it could be exactly what they need. By not speaking my mind, I am do the very last thing that person needs which is pain.
It made me think of the pain the Israelites must have felt while waiting for Jesus. I hate having to wait a minute for an answered prayer, but they waited a long, long, long time. What if the prophets who told of Jesus' coming had decided they didn't want to be seen as crazy? What if like me they didn't want to be wrong? By withholding the very words that God himself had given them, they would be causing others pain. I cannot imagine waiting for the Messiah like they did, but I know if I were them I would be clinging to God's Word for dear life.
We need to be bold and speak the words that are given to us.
