The Ministry of Listening

[The Simple Plan]

The beginning of love for the brethren is learning to listen to them - Bonhoeffer

I used to wonder why monks went of into a monastery to be alone cut off from the world and in complete silence. Why would they want to do it? Wasn't there a world out there who needed street preachers and witnessing? Yes indeed of course there is, but I learned an object lesson in that they were taking time out to LISTEN to God.

Sometimes when a new believer or youth asks me about prayer, they get baffled when I tell them that one of the most effective prayers we can have is the one when we are not talking but in fact listening to God. Sometimes having to sit back and think about this and even put into practice can be so deep, especially when so many approach prayer as some kind of vending machine of blessings that we must request from God.

As part of my course in Christian counselling we read a book called "Listening" by Anne Long. In it she highlights that listening is in and of itself a ministry. "Listening means being alert, observant, perceptive to what is going within us and around us"..... "we listen to the word of God in the Bible in order to recognise God now working in ourselves". With the latter she states that the deaf and hard of hearing are the best in the wider sense of listening.

How much effective we can be when we listen to others as well as to ourselves, and more importantly listening to God. Taking the time out like Jesus did to spend time alone listening to the Father's will for our lives can empower us, not in any selfish way, but a way that uplifts up God.

Does anyone share this experience?
How has listening formed part of your ministry?

Blessings
Dave

 

 

[GraftMeIn]

I've always enjoyed having time to myself, because I consider it time that I get to spend alone with God. And one thing I've learned is that sometimes when we are quite and just listen, God can open our eyes to many wonderful things. Not only that He also gives us prayers we need to say, this would be a prayer of the Spirit one of the most powerful prayers of all.

Wonderful topic Dave! Thanks for bringing it up

 

[Blessed-one]

oh, listening to God doesn't seem quite as "easy" as listening to others. Sometimes i find that i can find out God's words after the fact, looking for His guidance in the past events.

 

[Gerry]

Oh Right! Too many misunderstand and think that praying is talking to God. Which it what we are taught and indeed that is what it is. But because they don't see God face to face like they do another human and hear an audible voice like they do another human they think prayer is simply talking AT God. They do not realize it is a two way conversation. Glad you brought this up. It was a vital part of the series I was doing in the prayer forum which drew very little interest. But a rich prayer life is crucial to a deeper fellowship with God. Indeed without that what fellowship have we?