For Powerful Conversation, Plan and Pray
By Rick Warren
"Intelligent people think before they speak; what they say is then more persuasive.” Proverbs 16:23 (GNT)
Do you want to have a meaningful conversation with someone? Then you need to plan, and you need to pray. You need to say to God, "Lord, teach me what to say, teach me when to say it, and teach me how to say it."
Even Jesus did this.
Jesus says in John 12:49, "I have not spoken on my own. Instead, the Father who sent me told me what I should say and how I should say it" (GW). Jesus didn't just go around speaking on his own power. He would talk to his Father, and God told him what he should say, when he should say it, and how he should say it.
God will do the same for you. If he hasn’t, it’s because you haven’t asked! You haven’t tapped into the wisdom and power of God. You haven’t taken advantage of your right as God’s child to ask him for what you think you need and trust him to provide what he knows you need.
You would never walk into an important meeting unprepared. In the same way, before you have that critical conversation with your child or your spouse or your boss or a neighbor, you need to plan and pray. It’s the only way you’re going to get anywhere in your conversations.
"Intelligent people think before they speak; what they say is then more persuasive” (Proverbs 16:23 GNT). In other words, if you want to be persuasive, put your mind in gear before you put your mouth in motion. Plan in advance what you're going to say.
Planning your conversation gives you perspective. You have the space to think through the circumstances and context with a clear head. Then you can approach your conversation with grace.
Colossians 4:6 says, "Everything you say should be kind and well thought out" (GW).
If you'll just practice that one verse, then you will become a master communicator. The only way to ensure your words are kind and well thought out is to plan ahead and pray.
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This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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