Learn the Art of Holistic Listening

Daily Devotional – Saturday, May 18, 2024
…let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.
James 1:19 (NKJV)

In our noisy, fast-paced society, listening is a spiritual discipline that is often disregarded. It is an art. But, it is essential to our development and our relationships with God and other people. James 1:19–20 emphasizes the need of speaking slowly, listening intently, and controlling your temper. As Christians, we must learn the art of holistic listening.

Be Quick to Listen

God communicates with us through His Word, prayer, the Holy Spirit, and events. Often, we are too preoccupied with our conversations or our surroundings to notice His voice, which causes us to miss it. We must quiet our hearts and brains to make room for God to speak if we are to genuinely listen to Him.

Furthermore, we must occasionally pay attention to our own hearts. We have feelings, ideas, and wants, through which God can communicate with us. We invite God to change us from the inside out by listening to ourselves. But to do this, we must be sincere, honest with ourselves, and determined to follow God’s leading even if it goes against our wishes.

Learn the Art of Holistic Listening

Let us pray to God to help us learn how to listen more intently and to quiet our hearts and brains so that we can clearly hear His voice. In addition, we ought to ask the Lord to examine our hearts and make known anything that prevents us from hearing effectively. Lastly, we should strive to get closer to God every day by considering His love in all of our interactions. In the end, learning the art of holistic listening will benefit us immensely.

Prayer
Dear God, teach me how to listen.