Listen

I am a great talker.  Ask anyone who spends any time with me and they will tell you that I rarely run out of things to say.  Communicating is a top priority for me.  I've also been told that I am a good listener, but I want to become better.  There is always room for improvement!

The best way for me to improve my listening skills is to spend time listening to God.  So often, I go to Him with my list of things I want to talk about.  (I do that with people too!)  I say what I want to say and I leave without giving Him a chance to give me His perspective.  I need to be still and know that He is God.  His knowledge and wisdom are beyond anything that I can imagine or comprehend.  But, He wants to share them with me if I would only sit quietly and hear Him.

I need to practice that with people too.  I purpose in my heart to be quiet and listen to what people are sharing with me, without slipping into problem solving mode.  I want to hear what isn't being said too...to read between the lines, if you will.  I want to listen with my heart to hear the heart of the speaker.  At the same time, I want to be listening to the heart of my Father God, to hear His words of life that might need to be spoken by me. 

This learning is going to take some effort on my part, but it will be well worth it!