Things do not always go your way. As a parent, I remember when my kids would be upset because they couldn’t have a snack before dinner. As you get older, you begin to develop a nasty habit—complaining. We complain about things not going our way. We complain about the traffic. We complain because the food isn’t up to par. We complain because the service is poor or because the wait is long. We complain because the neighbor cannot put his trash bins away.
Words are powerful. The Bible says that words have the power to kill or give life (see Proverbs 18:21). The question to ask yourself daily is what are your words doing? Are your words building up or tearing down? Are your words speaking life or damaging others? Are your words honoring God? Are your words pointing to Jesus?
The Psalmist speaks of “melodies of praise” that “will make Him known.” A picture is painted here. Your words… your praise… it will make Him known. But what if these melodies of praise are instead complaining rants? What if you are using your words to point out another’s shortcomings or to complain about bad customers? What if you are using your social media to put down another, to share the evils of the world, to broadcast the bad? Surely if the melodies of praise are what makes Him known to others, the negative, the complaints… these things are not depicting victory. Check your words today. What words are on your lips? What are you making known?
“But I will proclaim the victory of the God of Jacob. My melodies of praise will make him known.” – Psalm 75:9 [TPT]
Tania Gutekunst 