I’m always amazed at how much people talk. Now, don’t get me wrong – I’m one of those people! I LOVE to talk! Talking comes in handy since I’m in direct sales with most of my business online, and as a preacher’s wife, I teach Ladies’ Class and speak at various events. But, I recently heard a quote by Ram Dass, who said, “The quieter you become, the more you can hear.” It’s true! I love to sit outside on our back deck. It’s amazing all of the birds, squirrels, and insects that you can hear when you sit quietly.
Sitting quietly is almost a lost art. Nowadays, people always have their phone, tablet, or laptop attached to their ears. According to the website, “Statista,” headphone/ear buds sales grew from 46 million in 2018 to almost 300,000 million in 2021. (https://www.statista.com/statistics/985608/worldwide-sales-volume-true-wireless-hearables/) The “art” of listening will be extinct, if we don’t watch it.
I believe that God designed up with purpose. He gave us TWO ears and only ONE mouth, therefore, we should listen TWICE as much as we talk. Then, again, did you ever think about the fact that our mouth is made to SHUT, but our ears aren’t – they are always open. For a conversation to take place, one must listen and one must talk. In order to truly listen, you must pay attention to what is being said and not be concentrating on what you’re going to say next – but LISTEN. Are you guilty of carrying on one-sided conversations with God? I know that I am. Something happens and I pray and pray, but I need to “listen” by opening His Word. The quieter I become, the more I can hear.
I hope you’ll take the time to sit quietly today and count your blessings, for we are all simply blessed, Courtney