Shhh....(really) listen...

"The last thing I need is to be heard - but to hear what You would say. Word of God, speak"

Once again, when the song Word of God Speak was offered up as a prayer in an attempt to quiet my heart before reading God's Word to listen for what He wanted me to hear, it seemed to work ... so well, in fact, that somehow I managed to hear what some people didn't say!

I've been reading in the book of Job - where Job was SO afflicted w/ loss & pain & grief. In his great distress it seems some people did more harm than good in how they responded to him. Some encouraged him - to appeal to God - & by sharing their experiences. And some stayed near & just listened to him bc they had no idea what to say!

Today, I relate more to some of Job's friends than Job. So often I want to encourage my friends but have no clue what to say! - & when, in the awkward silence, I try to force words of encouragement, often I end up feeling like perhaps I did more harm than good. UGH! Yet - in Job's story, I gather that in just sitting w/ & really listening to someone pour out their heart, SO much can be said about how much you care & want to help w/o uttering a word. And, hearing what they have to say may give hints to what can be done to really help & to which spoken words would provide the most/best encouragement - which I've learned are often found in, & shared from, God's Word.

And so.... in those awkward times of silence, when I have no clue what to say, perhaps I should take the hint(!) & realize that the last thing I need is to be heard - but to hear what they would say - & use my voice to speak words from God's Word - that are likely to encourage & speak to the heart, in times of great distress.

For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. Matthew 12:44b