The online dictionary defines useful as: “able to be used for a practical purpose or in several ways”.  Some synonyms are: “advantageous, appropriate, convenient, effective, favorable, fruitful, good, handy, helpful, practical, pragmatic, profitable, proper, and suitable”.

The online dictionary defines useless as: “not fulfilling or not expected to achieve the intended purpose or desired outcome” or “a piece of useless knowledge”.

This all made me contemplate what I expect the outcome to be from the words I speak.

Am I speaking simply just to hear myself?

Am I speaking because I’m expecting an outcome to change because I’m saying something?

Am I speaking because I’m simply not trusting God?

There may be other reasons why we speak, but in the context of what is useful or useless those questions are sufficient for my purposes.

The first question: “Am I speaking simply just to hear myself?” Sometimes it is useful for me to say something out loud to myself so that I can hear it. I might even have an out loud verbal conversation with the Lord in order to work through a matter.

The second question: “Am I speaking because I’m expecting an outcome to change because I’m saying something?” There are times God has us speak useful words to help others to know the message of the Gospel, or to help them align their life with God’s Word.

Romans 10:17 states it this way: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

In Matthew 11:15 and in Revelation Chapters 2 and 3, Jesus spoke these words: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” This infers that words, useful words, must be spoken so others can hear truth. Truth that will lead them to a personal relationship with Jesus. Truth that will lead them (and us if they are spoken to us) to repent of undealt with sin. In that case, we are seeking God to give a person (and ourselves) the ability to hear the words, to understand them accurately, and then to apply them directly to our lives, for His glory.

The third question is: “Am I speaking because I’m simply not trusting God?”

I find that this question made me realize how many times I turn from not trusting Jesus to relying upon Him fully. 

This happens when I try to figure out future events. 

This happens when I want my outcome, and am not trusting God for His perfect outcome for any situation in my life.

It would be far more useful for me to speak words of praise to God than to try to figure out possible future scenarios. This is what I am working on implementing in my life. I want to not have my thoughts be useless words, but words that exalt the Lord.

Words matter. Consider Jesus’ words in Matthew 12:36-37: “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

I want to be known for useful words, not useless words. 

I want to praise God, revealing that I truly trust Him for today and for tomorrow.

The Psalms are a wonderful place for us to run when we are anxious about anything. 

Psalm 150 provides a great example of praise to our mighty God:

Praise the Lord!

Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens!

Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness!

Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp!

Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe!

Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

If you are like me, I have no musical talent, but I am thrilled to lift my voice to God to praise Him.  Especially with children who love music, our worship in song can show them that we can respond to life’s challenges with praise to God, which lifts our spirits. We are providing them with an example of praising God that can carry them into the hands of the living God!

Words of praise are always useful!  

I ask God to encourage you to join me in speaking more useful words, and far less useless ones, as He gives us ears to hear!

Do you love Jesus!  If so, please praise Him now for the moment He has given you. If Jesus is not yet your Lord and Savior, please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com if you would like to talk about a personal relationship with God through His one and only Son. 

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please feel free to share it with others!

Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you. Also, please remember to look at the full context of the verses by reading the complete passage.

Copyright 2024 Donna Shappy   All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.