Developing our ability to listen

"Developing our ability to listen" 3 Elements: 1. A heart that wants to hear = a heart of love. 2. The patience to hear. 3. Listen with your whole being - undivided attention. Listening to each other is an absolute must if we are to understand each other. & To have a good relationship with God and with one another. 

1. Eph. 4:29-5:2 "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen... be kind and compassionate to one another" How does this happen? Through listening!!! Listening not just to what a person is saying, but listening to God! We need to develop our listening skills with God and one another. God knows what we really need! Prov. "blessed ...daily listening at my doors."

To listen to someone requires a sincere desire to hear what that other person is saying. That is why the foundation to real listening is love!! It demonstrates that you really care. You don't prejudge the person you are talking to, you accept them as a person of worth and value. What you sow you will reap - experienced . not listening? Listening to God? = loving Him. If you are listening to Him, you will probably be listening to others. God is always speaking to us, but we are not listening as often as we should. God "this is my beloved Son HEAR Him." "He who has ears to hear let him hear" - we have to want to hear!

As disciples we are called to love - in order to love, you must be a good listener! Are you listening? When we do listen, we may not "really" be listening. Just hearing words doesn't cut it! It is said, that we only actually hear 25% of what comes into our ears. Listening encourages expression of true feelings - building great relationships!

2. To really listen requires??? It takes patience. "Wait patiently for the Lord" -is repeated dozen's of times for a reason. God gave you two ears and one mouth, showing you the ratio that they should be used in. People are starving for someone to listen to them. It takes patience! Proverbs 18:13 Some people will drive you crazy, giving you all the details of a situation... others will skip around - "this doesn't make sense" - you think to yourself. Remember we all relate situations and stories in different ways - they are not going to change - accept and respect them. Die to your flesh - a truth: "listening can be painful" - amen? When your wife come in and you are watching a game, you don't just grunt in answer to what she says . Take time to either listen, turn the game off or say you will talk later. 

Many times we have jumped to conclusions while sort of listening to someone else. Or we are so intent on getting our point across that we do not listen while the other talks. The disciples along with many of the fellow countrymen were so used to looking for the Messiah in a certain way - that's all they could hear from Jesus - "are you at this time going to restore the kingdom?.."

3. To hear from God requires listening with your spirit. I Cor. 2:9-14. "eye has not seen, ear has not hear.. the things that God has prepared for those who love him" In hearing from God one must respond in faith. James 1:19-22. "Humbly accept the word planted in you." "do not merely listen to the word." We must respond faithfully to what God tells us before He give us new things. Consider Zech. 7:13 "When I called they did not listen..." My wife Jeri, has caught me a few times "the bank said we have a neg. balance" - um, ha, grunt, ... & then "what"! To hear from others requires listening with your body in a way that communicates you are interested. Your eyes speak volumes. Discipline yourself to concentrate - repeat what you have heard. 

Review: Ask God for the heart that wants to hear. Work on developing the patience to hear. Learn to listen with your whole being. Some have heard God speak to you, but have not responded.. ask for His forgiveness.