“I have a voice!” declares King George VI in the movie, The King’s Speech. God can use anything to speak to us and He has used this film to speak to me. I can recommend it. (Don’t be put off by the R rating. It is for strong language judiciously used in certain scenes.) The story explores the impact of a commoner on King George VI of England as he faces the beginning of World War II. The king’s speech impediment caused him to feel inadequate for his daunting task, but Lionel Logue, a speech therapist, helps the king to, not only work with his impediment in order to give comfort and leadership to his frightened empire, but to find his own voice. The impediment never disappears, but the men develop a friendship that changes their lives and impacts their nation.
Like the king, I often felt like I had no voice and no ability to speak up. You may feel the same way, like you have no voice and no right to be heard. That is so far from the truth. God has used this film to encourage me that I have a voice. I have a right to speak. My opinions and thoughts matter. And so, my friend, do yours. God wants to use you to influence those around you. You may not influence a nation, like King George, but you can make a huge impact on one person, as Lionel Logue did. It’s time to find your voice.
Give Him glory. God made you with a voice. I am not simiply referring to your mouth and vocal cords. You have things to say in a way that only you can say them that will impact people only you can impact. No one else could deliver the same kind of comfort and leadership to the people of the British Empire during World War II but their king. No one else’s words would have the same impact. The new technology of radio required them to hear his voice and no one else’s. In the same way, the people in your world need to hear your words, ideas and feelings. When you use your voice in the way that He made you to do, you give Him glory.
Proclaim His praise. God has given you a voice. Not just the ability to speak, but the ability to declare things that matter. Your first responsibility is to declare His praise. Think about it. You need a purpose? A reason for existence? A reason to wake up in the morning and let your presence be felt in the world? You exist to declare the praise of the One and Only True God. The maker of heaven and earth. The one who created every living thing and holds all things together. He created you for a purpose and that first purpose is to “declare His praise among the nations.” For you, “the nations” are every person you come in contact with. They represent the far reaches of the earth. You touch people that no one else can touch. You have been given a region of influence to declare His praise. Open your mouth. Don’t shrink back!! They need to hear you!
Your voice matters in their life. Your voice may be the only one that speaks of Jesus. Think of your children or spouse or siblings or parents. Who is speaking of Jesus to them? Who is representing Him and His glory? Who is loving them with His love? If not you, then who?
Influence your “islands”. Your voice matters. Use your voice to speak for His glory. Giving Him glory does not always mean saying “I give glory to the Lord.” Giving Him glory means speaking of the things that matter to Him. speaking with His love, His authority, His truth. You give glory to the Lord by representing Him in your character, in your love and actions. Your “islands” need your influence.
At this point in my life, I am often speaking. It is part of what God has called me to do. But I know who I would be without Him. I remember being afraid to share my thoughts and feelings with anyone but my journal. I can clearly see the many times I swallowed my words or contradicted myself as soon as I spoke for fear of being berated or rejected. I minimized my influence and devalued my own voice constantly. There was always an internal struggle stemming from an inward belief that my voice did not matter and I had no right to be heard. God has gone to great lengths in my life to help me choose to overcome that inward voice of doubt and insecurity. But I had to choose to listen to Him instead of it. So do you.
Dear One, the time is now to choose to speak, to give God glory, proclaim His praise and influence those in your world. They are depending on you, although they may not know it. You may not have the place of a king, but you represent one. God has given you a voice. You have a right to be heard. Speak up!
Key thought: Your voice matters.
A Scripture to consider: “Let them give glory to the Lord and proclaim his praise in the islands.” Isaiah 42:12 NIV
A YES challenge: Think of one person in your sphere of influence. How will you give God glory and proclaim His praise in their life this week?
Prayer: Father, I have such a firmly developed habit of devaluing my own voice. You know my internal struggle, but You have put people in my life who need to hear what I think and feel. Give me grace to speak up. Help me to choose to believe that I have a right to be heard. Use my voice to give You glory and to proclaim Your praise in my world. Amen.