Preamble
Series of events inspired this post.
A previous post has elements of this topic but this post is unique in its own way.
I wanted to say some other thing..
I wil say it in the post…..
Ears
One ear
Two ears
The outer part is mainly cartilagineous. It is sensitive to touch and pain.
Aside from comestic purpose, the ear is the organ of hearing.
Sound gets into it, is balanced and sent to the brain to be interpreted as a sensible information which is then understood by the hearer.
It also has components that maintain body balance (found in the part called the inner ear)
The ears are either pierced or not, this depends on personal, cultural or religious preference.
As part of the body, it has to be cleaned and taken care of to prevent infection and damage.
When the ears are damaged especially the middle and inner ear, the sense of hearing is partially or totally lost.
What else?
Toiletting your ear includes using a cotton bud to clean excess wax.
Using other unhealthy surfaces such as biro cover tip can introduce infectious organisms into the ear. I am a culprit of that bad habit and I am working on it.
Okay…..before I deviate.
“Talk to me”
With the increase awareness on mental health, there is an increased usage of the phrase “Talk to someone”
If suicide occurs, the next words that are shared are “Why did they not talk to someone?”
Talk to me. I am here for you
How many times have we heard these words?
I have used it on this blog. I used it in ‘Why You Should Have Matured Older Friends‘
I advocate speaking to someone when you are overwhelmed. Someone you trust and you are comfortable with.
It is who you talk to about it that matters
Talking to someone that belittles your concerns or does not engage with you is not one you should take personal concerns to because they will drain you and make you feel worse after sharing.
You should feel better after sharing not worse
Therefore it is not everyone that says ‘Talk to me’ that can be talked to.
To Listen
Listening is the act of intentionally understanding what is heard.
A person can hear but does not listen to what is heard
Listening is intentional while hearing is a function of functional ears.
Listening involves attention to what is said and understanding the purpose of what is said.
“Excuse me. Repeat what you said, I did not hear you clearly“
Listening is interpreting what is heard in the appropriate context.
“Excuse me. I did not understand what you said. I heard you but I did not understand”
Listening involves focus.
“After all I said, you did not still get me?”
Listening is intentional.
I repeated it on purpose
Why listening is hard
It is hard because we often have what we want to say before we hear.
We already have preconcieved ideas about the situation and we are not ready to change that in that moment.
We have a point to prove.
We are not interested.
We are bored.
We are only interested in what we have to say.
Talk all you want, I already have what I want to say
And for these reasons, it is common encountering situations where after a long conversation regarding an issue, the other person may still misunderstand you.
After everything I said?
For the times we misunderstood someone, the problem we had was in the listening and not in the hearing.
We heard them but we zoned out and did not listen.
And if we cared enough to have that conversation, we would ask the person to repeat the statement or expound it for us to understand.
Or we can simply keep zoning out and say what we want to say regardless of what the person has said.
This also happens when we are approached with a concern to get an advice. We can either listen and give advice that suites the person and the unique situation or bombard the person with general advice that we use for everyone.
Fixed advice. Advice templates. Prepaid advice.
I am looking for the right word, I hope you still got what I was saying.
Has there been a time when you shared a concern with someone and they already had fixed words that you already knew?
It felt like they had memorized the words and did not change it from what they had told someone else. At the end of the day, you felt weird because the words did not address you personally.
They did not listen to you
Because your concern was similar to what they had heard countless times.
Or what they had experienced many times
Listening involves putting yourself in the other person’s shoes and trying to understand where they are coming from.
Shoes, sneakers or boots
It means getting their perspective on the matter.
Does it overide your perspective? No
Does it help you engage effectively in the conversation? Yes
Can you still share your perspective? Yes
And beacause you listened, your response will certainly show that you did.
When the people involved in a conversation listen to themselves, communication is easier, even if they do not agree with each other.
The goal of communication is to understand what is shared and not only to say what we want to say.
God listens
When we talk to God, He listens.
God hears us and He understands us.
Every motion. Every emotion poured out in the place of prayer is understood by God who listens.
With this understanding, I do not pray as one whom God does not hear but as one who is listened to.
Why the repetition of words?
We repeat words mainly because we do not have faith. We are not sure if God is hearing us, so we repeat ourselves hoping to get an assurance within us that we are heard.
We often repeat ourselves because we are afraid that if we do not do that, God will forget.
It is fear and doubt that causes it
Jesus said
Matthew 6:7-8 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him. (KJV)
I love how Jesus prayed and I have been practicing it for a while.
Father I thank you for you have heard me
Praying about a particular matter on different occasions is a different context. There are certain concerns that may need extended periods of prayers because they build our faith and relationship with God. In the place of praying about these things, we get to experience a deeper relationship with God as He uses these situations to transform our hearts. In all these moments we consistently approach the place of prayer with faith that God has heard us.
But sin is still a fundamental barrier
God hears us but God can choose not to answer us.
Isaiah 59:1-2 Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.(KJV)
Sin seperates us from God and is also a reason why we feel unheard and thus repeat ourselves hoping God will hear after our many repetitions.
So when the assurance of God is lost, one needs to check if sin has lurked in and created a gap.
When we talk to God, He assures us that we are heard
Our confidence in being heard does not rest in our ability to be good in ourselves but in the confidence on God we call on.
If you believe God hears you, you will be confident that you are heard
1 John 5:13-15 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him. (KJV)
And sometimes, the reason we do not have confidence is because we are afraid it is not God’s will.
We are afraid of what God will say
Will you listen to God?
God listens to us.
Do we listen to Him?
Do you hear God?
God speaks just as He listens.
But do you hear Him?
And if you hear Him, do you listen?
Is that why you do not have confidence that He hears you? Because you may be disobeying what He has said?
Do you only listen when it favours you?
Speak LORD for your servant listens
Will you listen even when it does not agree with your preconcieved ideas?
Will you drop your prejudice and listen?
Do you know what God is saying?
What has God said to you before?
Sometimes, for us to hear God, we need to want to hear God.
John 8:47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.(KJV)
For us to listen, we need to drop our own ideas and be willing to understand what God is saying.
Hebrews 4:7 Again, He limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.(KJV)
Do you want to know more?
First check this post: FINDING GOD
Then this Podcast: ALLOWING GOD LEAD YOU
Can you hear God?
Conclusion
There would be a sequel to this post as God allows.
Before then, I would like to redirect you to somewhere where more on this topic is shared.
A friend has been sharing a lot on hearing God and I believe that you will be blessed after reading the posts.
Click HEARING GOD to be redirected.
Did this post bless you? Share, like and comment. I will respond to your comments and questions as well.
Art for this post was created by me.
Until next post, stay well and blessed..
#daughterofabba
Deeperlook 