For two years now I have been spending some focused time in my life on becoming a better listener. That’s really hard for a verbal processor.
A friend once said (and this is now frequently quoted) “Nancy, just because you think it doesn’t mean you have to say it!” But what is hard for others to grasp, is that I don’t think it, it just comes straight out the mouth!
I actually don’t think I’ve made much progress in two years. But I have some hope, because God is in the business of transforming me.
Recently I’ve realized that the most important aspect of listening is to learn to listen to God. Which is actually much harder than listening to people. When I listen to God, what am I supposed to listen to?
The “quiet” in my heart? Still my soul….okay…speak God. Hmmm…What’s that I am hearing? How do I know my thoughts are his, and not just mine re-cycled? People who get quiet and hear stuff, that’s awesome. I’m not really sure.
Do I listen by reading the Bible? It is so tempting to read in search of some clear answer, relevant verse, or “words that jump out”. Is that God speaking.? I remember in college God speaking through a verse to a young man that he should marry a certain woman. Unfortunately the woman didn’t get the same message. Seems you have to be careful with this form of listening.
Maybe part of listening to God is listening to the counsel of others – what others say that resonates with me. I certainly think God’s voice can be heard through others. Through a message, a conversation, a close friend. Is that you God?
I love “listening” to God in nature. Wow, the lessons that come from watching creation. Understanding how things work, thinking about what the creator is saying. Very cool.
What about my own thoughts…just ideas that come into my head from nowhere. Can that be God speaking? Go with my “gut”, that must be God. If you know all the wierd thoughts in my head you’d be saying ALERT!!!BAD IDEA!!!
So how do I really listen to God? I’m pretty sure He wants me too.
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. ” (Psalm 32)
Somehow, for me, I think it comes down to having a listening heart – wanting to know what God desires so that I can follow. Then doing all of the above and waiting for a convergence…a message from many fronts. Being patient and trusting.
And I think, I never really know FOR SURE. I guess I have to keep listening. The minute I think I have it all figured out I’m not listening any more. I want to be a listener.
“Speak for your servant is listening…” (I Samuel 3:10)
I’ve been thinking a lot about success lately. We often ask the question “What does success look like?” or another way to put it “Define the win.” A friend of mine said recently that she thinks success is an American word. Very cultural. It got me thinking. What does God think of “success”. What is it really? Who cares? Seems like most people around me want to be successful. Whatever that means:
I do think there is a key and was reminded of that this week in a sermon about love. Self-awareness may be the self-word that turns selfish into selfless. For when we are able to get a glimpse of what we look like to those around us when we are selfish – we become self-aware, and we realize we don’t like what we see, which leads us to desire something different for ourselves. (Wow I just can’t get away from that self-word!)




60,000 plastic bags, the number used every 5 seconds in the U.S.