Words are something that I grew to love in my young adult years. Something about the thrill of invoking the perfect word that dead on describes something with total accuracy thrilled me. (i.e. invoking—oh how I love that word too!)
I think that is what drew me with real interest into every English literature class I had in school because the use of the English language was so broad and expansive then compared to what it is now. I had a notebook of words that piqued my interest that I would look up and pour-over. Words to me were like colors to paint with, and each one helped create the scene I wanted the reader to see.
The other reason I love words is because as a believer, I know that they are the materials God uses to build with.
“…we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” [Hebrews 11:3 KJV]
Words build dreams. Words also build maybe what we don’t really intend, which is why we should really think before we speak. A pause between your thought and your words can be a very powerful thing!
But the other side to this is that when God speaks ‘a word’ or ‘words’ to me, those specific words mean something. In essence, there is a reason He uses the words He chooses.
A recent example of this in my own life came a few weeks ago. I heard these words in my heart from the Lord:
“Right before I move you into something new, I will streamline you.”
Wow. This was a big deal to me because I’ve had my eyes set on some new things that I’ve carried vision for in my heart for a while. So right after He spoke this to me, all I could see in my mind’s eye was that one specific word “streamline”.
When I looked it up, it was defined as:
-a path designed to minimize resistance.
-a smooth or flowing line designed to put in order, to make simpler, to make more efficient in order to decrease resistance.
This is what God was saying He does in our lives before He moves us into what is next or what is new. Suddenly, I realized all the things catching my eye lately that I needed to just make time to take care of, address, clear out, or eliminate were really coming from the Holy Spirit inside me to streamline me.
So whatever God is moving in you to do that will streamline you, I would encourage you to get with it! Let the process of streamlining get your time and attention because all of it is setting you up, and moving you into position for what God has next for you.