Daily Inspiration & Motivation May 22, 2014

Colossians 3:23-24

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 

To LISTEN to Colossians 3 

1 Peter 3:15

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

To LISTEN to 1 Peter 3

Psalm 27:13

I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 

To LISTEN to Psalm 27

 

 

 

http://www.biblegateway.com/

 

 

 

 

 

To LISTEN to Our Daily Bread ~ LISTENING May 22, 2014

 

 

Listening

By David H. Roper 

Read: Job 2:11-13

To LISTEN to Job 2

 

Oh, that I had one to hear me! —Job 31:35

To LISTEN to Job 31

 

Bible in a Year:

1 Chronicles 16-18; John 7:28-53

To LISTEN to 1 Chronicles 16

To LISTEN to 1 Chronicles 17

To LISTEN to 1 Chronicles 18 

To LISTEN to John 7

 

In her book Listening to Others, Joyce Huggett writes about the importance of learning to listen and respond effectively to those in difficult situations. As she relates some of her own experiences of listening to suffering people, she mentions that they often thank her for all she’s done for them. “On many occasions,” she writes, “I have not ‘done’ anything. I have ‘just listened.’ I quickly came to the conclusion that ‘just listening’ was indeed an effective way of helping others.”

This was the help Job sought from his friends. While it is true that they sat with him for 7 days in silence, “for they saw that his grief was very great” (2:13), they didn’t listen when Job started talking. Instead, they talked and talked but failed to comfort him (16:2). “Oh, that I had one to hear me!” Job cried (31:35).

Listening says, “What matters to you matters to me.” Sometimes people do want advice. But often they just want to be listened to by someone who loves and cares about them.

Listening is hard work, and it takes time. It takes time to listen long enough to hear the other person’s true heart, so that if we do speak, we speak with gentle wisdom.

Oh, Lord, give us a loving heart and a listening ear.

 I cried, and from His holy hill

He bowed a listening ear;

I called my Father, and my God,

And He subdued my fear. —Watts

 When I’m thinking about an answer while others are talking—I’m not listening.