Have We Forgotten How to Really Listen?

In the last few months, I've been writing a lot about hearing from God and listening for His voice speaking in our lives. The last few days, I've been thinking about listening in a different sense.

I've started wondering about how we do at listening to one another.  And I've started to wonder if we've forgotten how to really listen to one another.

In our desire to share our own opinions and experiences, I wonder if we sometimes forget to really listen to the other person talking.

In our desire to fix things for someone and give advice, I wonder if we sometimes forget to really listen to the other person talking.

Sometimes all someone needs or wants is to be heard.

Sometimes all someone needs or wants is to know someone else knows.

Sometimes all someone needs or wants is to know someone cares.

I'm not saying we should never share our own experiences or opinions, or that we should never give advice. Those things are good. Those things are necessary.

But maybe we need to learn to really listen before we offer those things.

What if, instead of thinking of what we'll say while someone else is talking, we waited to formulate our response until they were done?

What if, instead of offering our advice for what to do in a situation right away, we waited to offer advice until we had acknowledged the reality of the situation?

Would that change our listening?

I think it would. And I think it would for the better.

So, I'm left with one question for myself and for you:

 

How are you doing at listening to the people in your life?