Have you ever had a heavy heart and just wanted someone to listen to you?  Your heart is about ready to explode from the need to be heard.  You don’t necessarily want advice, you just want someone to stop and understand what you are going through.

To make matters worse friends will come along who mean well but instead of listening they take the conversation away from you.  They do all the talking letting you know all about when they went through what you are going through.  There are others who will quickly say they are glad to see you then proceed to talk.  Some of these friends do not stop talking long enough to take a breath.  You find yourself trying to tactfully end the conversation just to get some peace and quiet.

All you really want is the peace that can only happen when someone takes the time to make eye contact and say nothing except maybe a yes I understand from time to time.  You want that person to hear you through with gentle nods along the way letting you know they understand.  There are people who still care enough about others to lend a listening ear with no criticism and no judgement.  They will offer to pray and you know they will because you feel the presence of God when someone cares enough to pray.

The ones who listen are the ones who become wiser.  Wisdom comes from listening.  Listening brings about compassion and understanding.  Compassion and understanding is one of the greatest ways to witness for Christ.  Time from one with a listening ear is a beautiful ministry.  Sincere and honest listening creates a spiritual bond that cannot be obtained from run on talkers.

What these compulsive and pathological talkers don’t realize is they are missing an opportunity to listen and learn something new.  If they chatter nonstop with friends, how do they treat God?  Some of these chatter boxes can be all smiles and friendly and nice but nothing is gained from a conversation like that.  There is no love or feeling of compassion in these encounters.  These people need your prayers for an open heart toward God and others where they are willing to listen.  These people have an emptiness and void inside of them far greater than your need to speak for a while.

If you find yourself in a situation where you need to be heard desperately and there is nobody available to minister with a listening ear, try speaking to God alone.  It’s ok to speak out loud, God will never condemn you.  Sometimes He will allow the sound of your own voice to show you what to do.  God will see to it His choice of a listening ear becomes available at the prefect time.

Proverbs 2:1-3  New Living Translation

My child, listen to what I say, and treasure My commands.  Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.  Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding.