Listening & Speaking

The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue, That I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear. - Isaiah 50:4

Have you ever needed to talk to someone and get all of your feelings out, but all they did was talk? You ended up listening to them and not being heard. Or, has anyone ever come to you with terribly sad news and your heart hurts for them but you have absolutely no idea what to say to them? The ability to listen to someone who needs to unload a weight off their chest brings healing. The ability to speak faith, hope, and courage to someone also brings healing, and both of these qualities come from Christ. There has to be genuine love in listening and speaking in order to be able to bring about the healing the person needs, and only God can provide that. Unless I have a strong relationship with God, I can't listen with the compassion needed… I can't be open to receive from God the healing words the person so desperately needs to hear.

Sometimes we need to be listened to and other times we're the ones who are called upon by God to speak faith to someone. Pray the Lord makes us vessels of His Spirit and dwells in us so that we can be of service to those around us, and we never know if those same people will be the ones there for us when it's our turn to be heard and spoken to.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, open my ears and open my lips. From You alone come words of wisdom and the ability to hear not only with our ears but with our whole hearts. Make me your instrument to bring peace and healing to those who suffer. In Your Name we pray, amen.




Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com