Two-minute read.
Saying the right thing at the right time takes divine assistance. Only when we connect to the Creator can we give an apt answer. Solomon writes a lot about our words, not speaking in anger, even fools appear wise when they say nothing. Using kind, honest words brings healing. We must listen before we speak. And we should consider the consequences of our words.
“Plan, prepare, and pray,” I said to a friend when he asked me about retirement advice. Dealing with a medical issue, the doctor recommends that he quit his current job. Working for a small-business owner, they have a close-knit family of employees who love each other deeply. For my friend, leaving means losing that connection and moving into a new chapter of life. He didn’t know how to end one chapter and begin the next, and so he asked my advice.
As I leaned against the stove in our kitchen, the smell of cinnamon and cloves from my crockpot filled my senses, and I listened and prayed as my friend talked. Wearing his heart on his sleeve, I could see how he agonized over his decision, not wanting to let his friends down, but also not wanting to burden them with his issues. His face showed his distress; I felt the weight of the moment. In the middle of writing this devotional when he stopped by, today’s verse popped into my head, and I prayed for an apt answer.
“As a woman of faith, my best advice is to pray and ask God for direction.”
How could I give an apt answer without divine assistance? Asking God for help allows us to say the right thing at the right time. Because the Lord knows the other person’s heart, He knows what they need to hear. Pray first, then speak what God lays on your heart.
Journal Questions:
When have you received an apt answer at the right time?
How has the Lord helped you to answer wisely?
In what area do you need divine guidance today?
Joyful Application:
Bring joy to someone today by asking God for an apt answer to give them when needed.
