My Favorite Listener
Trust in him at all times, you people, pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Psalm 62:8 (NIV)
Most of us do not listen as well. Sure, we hear the words and right away we are putting together some kind of mental response. In doing so, we miss perhaps the most important part of what the other person is trying to say. As a general rule, problems start with the “what” part of a situation. It takes longer to get to the “why”! At that point all we have heard is that so-and-so caused a problem. Something is missing! Dianne Neal Matthews (Mornings with Jesus) has some great ideas for choosing a listener.
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Last week I confided in someone about a personal struggle I’ve been dealing with—and I instantly regretted it. Their response was, “You shouldn’t feel that way.” Then I heard a mini-lecture on why my feelings were wrong. I didn’t find the conversation helpful. I thought about another friend who would probably have asked questions for a deeper understanding of my situation, offered to pray with me, shared an encouraging scripture, or maybe talked about similar experiences she’d faced. Being told my feelings were wrong only added to my burden.
Some people are better listeners than others. But I can always feel safe sharing my struggles and negative emotions with Jesus. Many passages in the Psalms urge readers to trust Him enough to express hurt feelings openly and honestly. Nothing I tell Jesus will ever shock Him because He already knows my deepest thoughts (Matthew 9:4). Jesus will help me find solutions to my problems while handling my emotions in a godly way.
I’ll keep on sharing some personal feelings with close friends, but my favorite listener will always be Jesus. I can trust His response. He may remind me of a Bible verse or truth that speaks to my situation. He may point me toward a helpful resource or person. Either way, I will know the freedom of unburdening my emotions with the One who understands me better than I know myself.
FAITH STEP: Ask Jesus to reveal any struggles or feelings you have held back. Pour out your heart to Him knowing He is your refuge.
Loving Lord, thank You for Your listening and nonjudgmental ears. Please teach me to be more like You when people come to me and share their problems. AMEN.