An Ear To Hear
An Ear To Hear
I've been considering some situations recently where a person just needed to have someone listen as they poured their heart out. They didn't want to be fixed only heard and not judged or corrected but heard. There is a difference between listening and hearing.
I can listen to the radio, but that doesn't mean I hear what they are saying. To hear someone, you have to listen. But all listening doesn't mean you hear.
Jesus tells us to take His yoke upon ourselves and learn from Him, for He is gentle and humble in heart, and in that place, we will find rest for our souls.
These are Jesus' words:
"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
Matthew 11:29 New International Version (NIV)
The focus needs to be getting close enough to be yoked to Him so we can not only listen but hear His still small voice. That means we sit a bit with Him. We lean in to hear His words and consider them. Ponder His words. It means we don't rush through and tick a box so we can feel like we've done a Bible study. I know I've done that one. I tell myself I'm studying God's Word, but in reality, there have been times I've rushed through, when I think back about the study, I don't remember that much of what I read.
God wants us to learn from Him. Sit with Him. Contemplate His Words with us. To learn, we must be willing to listen and hear the words. We need to be present, not drifting off thinking about other things we are going to do that day. We need to ask God to help us hear the message and understand His desire for us.
Jesus is gentle and humble in heart. He will not override our will, our time, our thoughts. Jesus will wait for us to come. He will allow us the distance if we choose. But hearing His Voice, knowing His Heart, that takes coming in close, sitting awhile with Him, and getting to know Him.
In this place we will find peace.
Maybe the circumstance will still be challenging, but our hearts deep inside our soul will be at peace.
God wants us to be a reflection of Him to those we help. Just as we need to come in close, listen, and hear, we need to be present. We need to ask God to give us His ear, His eyes, and His heart so that we can be a good friend and counselor.
To be supportive, we need to be not just good listeners but much better at hearing the person. We won't have all the answers, and that's ok. Sometimes people need to have us sit down with them listen well, hear their words, allow time to be in the middle of the conversation even if it's one-sided. There are times people need to listen to themselves speak. They work it out by us listening well and allowing them to listen to their words.
Time seems to be the key.
To listen well and hear the heart, we need to be present. Whether with God or a person we have in our life when we are present, we can listen well. Being present means; not thinking of other things, or answer an incomplete question, but attentive and hear fully before we speak. Listening well, hearing their words and their heart makes us better counselors.
When we only peripherally listen because we are in a hurry, we miss the opportunity to listen well and to hear the heart.
Jesus invites us to come, come close enough that you can hear His still small voice and learn of Him. It seems that as we discover how to be present and hear God's voice, we become better at hearing others.
Today can you consider asking God to help you be present, listen well, and hear fully.