We often underestimate the power of our voice in dealing with pain, trauma, disappointment, broken dreams, hurt relationships or our own sin as a part of letting go and moving on. The Apostle Paul talks about the importance of our voice when he says, “if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” 

There is power in saying out loud what is in our hearts, which is why we have the Psalms as David expressed his sin, faith, questions, praise, truths about God and a lot more “out loud,” recorded for all time. Cleo (my wife) and I have a habit of praying as we start our devotions together by saying, “Lord, we know that you are here with us in the empty chair across from us. We thank You for Your presence and that we can talk to You in person this morning. Bless our time together.” And then we pray in His presence, out loud. In doing so, His presence becomes more real and after all, He is there!

In fact, there are many references in the New Testament to the power of our voice. In Ephesians 5: 19-20, for instance, Paul says, “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” James 5: 13-16 likewise says this: “Is anyone of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

God has called us to live in community and not in isolation. When we need to let go of issues in our lives so that we can move forward, the truths that we have discovered in Scripture and the truths that are now in our hearts through time with God and meditation need to be verbalized. Just as in creation, each of the days begins with “And God said,” so there are important times when we need to verbalize the truth about ourselves, our situation, and our God and His promises so that we hear it with our own ears and, even more powerful, so someone else hears it and can affirm and encourage us on our way. 

When I verbalize a truth I internalize it. When I am willing to speak the truth, I am making a statement to myself and to others as to what I need to do to move on. Part of that may be repentance of my own part in what has occurred. It may be a statement about forgiving others who have hurt me. Whatever it is, there is power in speaking the truth out loud whether about God, ourselves, our situation, others, our pain or forgiveness. If you doubt me - try it.

Father, just as You spoke in the beginning, and Jesus spoke in the Gospels words of life and healing, help me to speak the words that I need to speak. Give me a few safe people that I can verbalize my commitments to who will affirm and encourage me. Above all, I will speak to You. Amen.