Proverbs 12:25 – “An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.”(NIV)
We live in a culture that is filled with stress and pressure. There is a constant demand to produce more with less. We want things faster and cheaper. Sometimes expectations can get the best of you.
Anxiety is a huge issue in America. It affects nearly 40 million Americans and is considered the most common mental illness. Over 40 billion dollars are spent annually in the treatment of anxiety disorders.
Listen to the Proverb’s description of how it affects a person: it “weighs a man down.” There is a heaviness associated with anxiety. It can ruin your day. Anxiety can cause you to feel overwhelmed and bring you to feelings of despair.
Yet the same proverb gives a very cost-effective way to combat anxiety. Once again, we are introduced to the power of words. “A kind word cheers him up.” Words can change a person’s demeanor. Words have powerful influence upon hearers. Another proverb tells us that life and death are in the power of the tongue. This is an unbelievable resource each of us possess to turn a situation completely around.
Today you have the power to change someone’s life. You never know who around you is suffering from anxiety. We have become masters at masking our pain. Let’s resolve today to be the most encouraging person we can be. Let’s speak words of life that may lift up a weighed down person. It costs nothing and the benefits are extremely healthy. You’re a potential answer to someone’s anxiety issue today! May God speak through you to lift up others around you. Your world will be changed and will become a better place simply by the words you choose to use this day!