Today I will:
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 1 John 5:14 (ESV)
Taking time to genuinely listen might be the greatest good or the kindest compliment we have to give. Fully listening and truly hearing the heart of another is nearly a lost art in modem society. Author David Michael Levin has written, "The very limited development of our capacity for listening is responsible for much suffering and misery in life." If we are to demonstrate God's healing mercy and grace in this earth, we must learn to listen. God's most profound promise to us, after all, is that He hears.
Being fully present for others, fully engaged in their concerns, requires that we learn to be attentive. Unless we strive to hear the deepest cries, joys, desires, or aches within the hearts of others, we won't have the right words of encouragement, hope, or exhortation to offer. Carl Rogers once said, "A man's inability to communicate is a result of his failure to listen effectively, skillfully, and with understanding to another person."
Practice the art of listening today. Be the sounding board others are seeking, a source of reassurance because you truly hear. Effective listening requires compassion and empathy. Well-known author Jane Austen once said, "There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart." Practice the tender mercies spoken of in Proverbs by being a life-giving listener.