Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Listening with your heart

Ok my fellow bloggers who are way more on top of their blogs than I am... I honestly have had so many thoughts and ideas overwhelming my mind (in a good way) that I feel like there's almost too much to write about that I have nothing to write about. Which is odd for me because I am never lacking in words, this is a first and hopefully not a last. After our topic of being slow to speak and listening to the Spirit of God I have really been praying for this to become a habit for me. Maybe God is answering my prayers... because I have noticed myself oddly silent (for me) lately. I'm not one to be alone, but Friday night I came home, had the apartment to myself and refused to put on my ipod. Instead I opened my Bible and LISTENED in silence to the word of God and what He was trying to say to me. I found that opening my heart up to listening is actually more effective than opening up my ears. I am very good at hearing but listening is one I do selectively. I made efforts to shut my mouth in times I was bursting at the seams to speak and in doing so was the result of learning so much more about the ones around me and noticing the things that surround me. A friend who is very good at listening suddenly became the sole speaker in our conversation and I saw a side of her I had never seen... because she filled my silence with her words. It was beautiful and I noticed that I went from biting my tongue at the beginning to smiling at the end, because I was opening my heart to not only hear her, but to listen. I've noticed myself growing to like the silence more... I actually notice that other things exist; like birds outside my window, people riding bikes, and the lady cleaning the bathroom at Target whom I was able to humbly thank because I actually noticed her. Being silent and slow to speak brings the Holy Spirit in me much more prevalent as I can listen to what He is trying to do in me and through me rather than just hearing myself speak words. As I started off I had said there was so many thoughts in my mind that I almost had nothing to say because I had too much to say and I said it was a good thing, here's why: Because I have been consciously more silent, the words I would speak stay in my mind, and I allow what's in my mind to converse with what's in my heart and in my heart inlays the Holy Spirit and so therefor it is Him I speak with rather than just babbling words to earthly things and people. Although human companionship is necessary and created for us by God, it is His response that is the only one that matters and it is in Him that we find listening with our heart is far more effective than hearing with our ears. So when we do speak, we can speak the words of God and not the words of our mind.

11 comments:

  1. "Being silent and slow to speak brings the Holy Spirit in me much more prevalent as I can listen to what He is trying to do in me and through me rather than just hearing myself speak words". This is so key. My greatest desire is to be able to discern the voice of God in my life and in whatever choices, decisions, and circumstances come my way. And it is so true that we cannot do this when we aren't so quick to respond. Great post!

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  2. That's Awesome Lindsay!! That's great you were able to be silent and to really boice the things around you especially his Spirit. Imagine what other things God may reveal to you in time the more you practice this. I remember my friend a long time tried a fast where she fasted TV and the radio for 2 weeks to just practice being in silence. At first it was weird but then she got used to it. But I could imagine she probably had similar experiences as you.

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  3. "Instead I opened my Bible and LISTENED in silence to the word of God and what He was trying to say to me."

    Why do I often find silence so difficult? What am I afraid of hearing? Am I afraid I won't hear God? Or maybe afrad of what I will hear? Your experience of finally plunging into silence is a good example of God's faithfulness when we relent.

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  4. me gusta. I'm glad for you. you've had a revelation of your heart and mind. dwell in it.

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  5. gosh i love this lindsay. in 1 Peter 3:4 Peter says "let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit." i think that is such a lovely picture. when we listen, we learn humility, we learn patience, and we really just learn a lot in general. i'm so glad you're getting so encouraged through this!

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  6. Lindsay, this is such a beautiful description of listening. It's really encouraging to see how quickly this is being wrought in your heart. Isn't it amazing how faithful God is to teach and guide as soon as we truly open ourselves to what he wants to do?

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  7. I really like towards the end, the idea that if we listen to God and give Him space to speak into our lives, we can speak truth into others that isn't based upon our experiences in life or own knowledge, but a wisdom that comes from God. That's cool.

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  8. Love this! It is always amazing to me how much more observant of the world we become through listening and silence. It's pretty humbling :) Thanks for sharing!

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  9. this is beautiful and I cannot even begin to imagine how your friend must have felt as you listened intently with a smile on your face. Sometimes that is really all anyone wants :)

    Silence is wonderful. I love that you are noticing things before that were so easily completely ignored before. You are bringing glory to our Savior. Amen sister :)

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  10. thank you guys so much for the encouragement, it means so much to hear that people genuinely care about what i have to say :)

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