Day 64: Proverbs 12:25

"Anxiety weighs the heart down, but a kind word cheers it up." ~ Proverbs 12:25 NIV

Sometimes when I read Proverbs, I get this feeling like "well that was obvious." Verse 17 says "an honest witness tells the truth, but a false witness tells lies" and it's, well, obvious. Honest = truth, false = lies. This verse feels kinda obvious, but I still really like it.

Why?

Because it gives me something I can do! I can find a kind word! And even better, I can give kind words to others when they're weighed down. Anxiety is a very inhibiting thing, it takes what I am capable of doing and lowers it down four or five or twenty notches. For example, I've been worrying about moving to the States. This worry has been inhibiting my ability to really enjoy the time I'm having now, because I'm so weighed down by my future! (I know, I'm a fool. Wasting my precious few moments in Poland worrying about something that hasn't happened yet, how absolutely foolish!)

I've done my homework though, and I've found kind words. A lot of them are in the Bible! (Yet another reason to read it.)

If YOU'RE reading this and feel like you could use an encouraging word, I'd like to remind you of a few things that just might help. (They've helped me.)

GOD MADE YOU SPECIAL

Oh no! I just quoted Veggie Tales... *headdesk* But it's true. I know I've heard the saying "You're unique, just like everybody else" a gazillion times at my school. It's a bit disheartening. But God chose, very specifically, to put you exactly in the place you are now. He didn't choose to put me there, He didn't choose to put Billy Graham there, He didn't choose to put Peter or Paul there, He chose you. You are the perfect fit for His plan. Yeah, it's not always going to be easy. But the passions and desires in your heart are perfect gifts from your perfect Father, from God. I like to play guitar, and I know there's like, several million guitarists out there in the world. But I was the only one of them (who didn't have a broken arm) who led worship for Youth from August 1st to August 12th in Budapest, Hungary 2011 at Impact:Now. God used my talent to reach people that none of the several million guitarists could reach. And if you let Him, He'll use you to influence the people around you. People truly underestimate their value; you are God's precious. His heart breaks if He loses you, and He'll spend your entire life trying to find you again. Which leads us to:

GOD LOVES YOU VERY MUCH!

I realize this is a really abstract statement. And well... it's always been kind of obvious to me, growing up as an MK and all. But think about what this means. If God is the guy who made the universe and everything in it, He's big. He has a lot of things to think about, and you might feel that you're probably not very high on His list. You're wrong. God sent His own son, for you. And God didn't just send Jesus so that He could tell you all sorts of encouraging things, He sent Jesus to suffer and to die for your sins, just so YOU could have a chance at choosing Heaven. He did this because He loves you, and I promise, He really wants to give you the best life possible! And no, the best life won't necessarily include $1 million dollars and the perfect spouse with perfect children. It will be filled with God and His love for you, though. HE is the one who will make it the most incredible, and He'll bless you with what you need. (Just to clarify, what you need and what you want are two completely different things.)

YOU CAN DO IT (with God's help)!

In the New Testament, God promises that He'll never tempt you with more than you can flee from (with His help). In the Psalms, He promises that He'll never "leave nor forsake" you. In the New Testament, Paul writes that he can "do all things through Christ." What am I trying to say? You'll make it. We've already established it'll be hard, but you're not alone! Once you've accepted Jesus into your life, He's with you, and He's with you for good. (Unless you reject Him, but we're assuming that won't happen. Because YOU CAN PERSEVERE!) For me, this means that I can do it, when I move to America, I can make friends, I can get into a good college, I can still be moved and influenced by Jesus! I CAN! I won't be able to do it alone. But that's where Jesus comes in. That's how our relationship grows. And you know what? YOU CAN TOO! Because God believed in you enough to put you exactly where you are right now, He'll give you what you need to be able to do it, if you let Him! And if God believes in you, then for all it's worth, I believe in you too!

Here's a challenge: Give a kind word to someone around you. Let them know that God made them special, that He loves them very much, and that they can do it!