James 1:19 (KJV)
19 "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath."

In a world full of noise, listening is becoming a lost art. Many people are quick to express their opinions but slow to hear the hearts of others. This creates a culture of misunderstanding, frustration, and missed opportunities to connect deeply especially with God. 

True spiritual life begins with listening.

James 1:19 teaches us to be swift to hear and slow to speak. Why? Because listening creates space for understanding, compassion, and wisdom. When we truly listen, we reflect God’s own nature. He is the ultimate listener, always attentive to our prayers and needs. Hearing isn’t just about sound, it's about accepting and respecting ones heart.

Christianity itself is built on listening. Faith begins not with speaking or doing, but with hearing and listening. Before we can believe, we must first listen to the gospel, allowing God’s truth to penetrate our hearts. This is why Satan works so hard to keep us from listening. He floods our minds with distractions, stirs up pride to make us focus on our own words, and fosters impatience to prevent us from truly hearing others. He has slowly trained us to reject and accept only the things that match our narrow minds. The enemy knows that if we stop listening, we’ll stop growing.

Listening isn’t just a skill; it’s an act of love. When we listen, we show others that we value them. We create a space for their hearts to be heard and their burdens to be shared. Listening helps us understand where people are coming from, making it easier to share the gospel in a way that resonates with their needs. When we rush to speak without listening, we miss the heart of the matter and often cause more harm than good. But when we take the time to hear someone out, we open the door for meaningful connection. 

How can you enter a person's heart without first hearing it out.

Just as listening is essential in our relationships with others, it’s also crucial in our relationship with God. Too often, our prayers are filled with words, but our hearts are closed to hearing His response. We are closed to the servants, closed to the bible, and closed to guidance. God wants us to actively listen so that we can grow. When we stop speaking and start listening, we allow God to shape our hearts and direct our paths.

God is always speaking but are you quiet enough to hear him?

Just like a child who listens to their parents does well, we too must listen to our heavenly Father. Listening well to others teaches us how to listen well to God. But Satan trains us from a young age to rebel. To lead our own lives and only listen to ourselves.

I hope today we can accept the words of God and be fully attentive to others. Listening is the foundation of and the key to deeper relationships. Amen!