Many thanks of gratitude to Charlotte and Ginger, two wonderful and sweet ladies that bring us together on Sundays to share our thoughts, scriptures, testimonies and words of wisdom. Please visit them by clicking on the blue sky to the right, and may your Sunday be blessed.
From the Tea Lovers Devotional:
Listen
Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger. James 1:10
God in His great wisdom created mankind with two ears and only one mouth. I'm sure that was because He wanted us to listen twice as much as we speak. Most of us are very poor listeners...I guarantee that if couples would take the time to become better listeners, their relationships would be improved through better understanding and increased patience. (It's important to remember, though, that women tend to be better listeners than men, probably because most men immediately want to fix what is broken and consider listening a waste of time. To them, the solution is what's important; they want to go directly to the bottom line.)
So be brave and ask several of your trusted friends how they would rate you on your listening skills. Be prepared to take their honest answers and act upon the information constructively. Don't get into the trap of thinking you are much better at listening than so-and-so. Almost everyone is below par in this skill.
We will become better listeners when we realize how people value being heard. It gives people an awareness that we care for what they have to say and that we truly love them. Our own spirits are lifted up when those around us know we care for them.
Listening is truly an art form that can be mastered if we practice. Observe yourself in a crowd, or even one-on-one, to see how you do. Change comes when you know the truth.
Heart Action: Listen to your husband/wife, your child, your friends, and to strangers with an attentive, caring mind and a compassionate, open heart. You'll discover how much more you truly hear!"
I always get something that I need when reading anything written by Emilie Barnes. She doesn't disappoint me with this little book that I so enjoy when taking a break with a nice, hot cup of tea. As I read this section, I wondered "Do I listen to God, or is my mind like my mouth, going a mile a minute, thinking my own thoughts, rather than listening to the mind of God?" I also wonder, “Am I letting the chatter of things around me drown out the voice of God?” I must first practice listening to God, through the leading of the Holy Spirit, and through the reading of His Word.
I'm so glad you stopped by for a visit today...how I would love to sit down with you and listen to what is on your mind and heart! I really think when we listen to God and to others, we're better than we were before. That's what we do here in blogland...we "listen" to each other, don't we? When we're reading someone's blog, we're not talking to them, we're listening to them...and we usually leave there with a fullness that we didn't have before. That's why we develop friendships here...no sounds, just hearts quietly speaking out to each other. I love that.
Let's all see how much we can hear today, by quieting our own voices, being still, and knowing that He is God! Psalm 46:10
May you all be richly blessed ...have a wonderful Sunday!
Mary
