“’Don’t call me Naomi,’ she responded. ‘Instead, call me Mara, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me home empty. Why call me Naomi when the LORD has caused me to suffer and the Almighty has sent such tragedy upon me?’” (Ruth 1:20-21)

How harshly Naomi dealt with herself at that point of her life. It’s very healthy to speak kindly about ourselves and to ourselves. Proverbs 16:24 says: “Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” In Naomi’s account above, not only did she choose to change her name, she also began to accuse the faultless Lord of wrongdoing.

How quickly our words can degenerate. Since our words issue from our thoughts, then we need to consider our thoughts. When God created everything on earth, His unspoken words were: “It was good.” So, let’s not testify against ourselves. Instead, we need to celebrate ourselves, our efforts and progress through God, irrespective of the size. Ephesians 5:19: “Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.”

David did speak kindly to himself when he sang: “Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me” (Psalm 27:10). Then he said: “Still I am certain to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD!” (Psalm 27:12)

“Winsome words spoken at just the right time are as appealing as apples gilded in gold surrounded with silver” (Proverbs 25:11). Kind words win.

#goodmorning 🌷

BeEncouraged❤️ Freely received. Freely shared