Quick to listen...
"My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry." - James 1:19 (NLT)
I love the book of James - its one of my favorites...
However - as I reflect over this past week, God is reminding me to be quick to listen and be slow to speak. If you know me - I can babble, I can talk lots - and sometimes, ok often, I say something that I know that shouldn't be said at that very moment. Yes it may be on my heart and in my thoughts, however - instead of really just babbling it out and getting what is on my heart out there, I need to be quick to listen and slow to speak. I need allow God to speak to me about it - and who I speak to about it, and how I should go about the speaking...
I struggle with this. BUT God has been so gracious to me in this area of my life. Even though I know that there were times this week where in my head I heared the words "michelle - its time to shut-up, don't talk" - "ok... be quiet right now! don't say another word..." or "why are you still talking?"
Instead of listening to the other person talk - or not even letting the other person have the opportunity to talk, I pour out my heart for I know what is the truth. However, who I speak to - or how I go about the situation, could be totally wrong. I thank God though that He has patience with me in this, and that He is really teaching me to be "quick to listen, slow to speak"
You see this past week or so - I have had the opportunity to speak the truth in to peoples lives - and even though I have done, what I thought was the right thing, has severed some of the friendships that I have had. Which I'm ok with. Gods word says to get rid of the evil in our lives and to humbly accept the message that God has planted in our hearts. And why? because it is strong enough to save our souls. (James 1:21 NLT)
Ok - that maybe came out wrong - I'm not fully happy that these friendship have ended - I'm actually quite sad - not because they have fallen apart because of where I am at, but they have fallen apart because of sin in ones life. And I'm willing to do all that I can to bring someone to the foot of the cross - and if that means that they end up hating me for something that I've said. Then I'll have to be ok with that - but pray that God would really reveal Himself to the other person.
"My dear brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back again, you can be sure that the one who brings that person back will save that sinner from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins." (Jame 5:19 NLT)
"This is the message he has given us to announce to you: God is light and there is no darkenss in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness. We are not living in the truth. But if we are living in the light of GOd's presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with eachother, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin. If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. If we clain we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts." (1John 1:5-10 NLT)
To Him be all glory and honor,
Blessings,
Michelle
I love the book of James - its one of my favorites...
However - as I reflect over this past week, God is reminding me to be quick to listen and be slow to speak. If you know me - I can babble, I can talk lots - and sometimes, ok often, I say something that I know that shouldn't be said at that very moment. Yes it may be on my heart and in my thoughts, however - instead of really just babbling it out and getting what is on my heart out there, I need to be quick to listen and slow to speak. I need allow God to speak to me about it - and who I speak to about it, and how I should go about the speaking...
I struggle with this. BUT God has been so gracious to me in this area of my life. Even though I know that there were times this week where in my head I heared the words "michelle - its time to shut-up, don't talk" - "ok... be quiet right now! don't say another word..." or "why are you still talking?"
Instead of listening to the other person talk - or not even letting the other person have the opportunity to talk, I pour out my heart for I know what is the truth. However, who I speak to - or how I go about the situation, could be totally wrong. I thank God though that He has patience with me in this, and that He is really teaching me to be "quick to listen, slow to speak"
You see this past week or so - I have had the opportunity to speak the truth in to peoples lives - and even though I have done, what I thought was the right thing, has severed some of the friendships that I have had. Which I'm ok with. Gods word says to get rid of the evil in our lives and to humbly accept the message that God has planted in our hearts. And why? because it is strong enough to save our souls. (James 1:21 NLT)
Ok - that maybe came out wrong - I'm not fully happy that these friendship have ended - I'm actually quite sad - not because they have fallen apart because of where I am at, but they have fallen apart because of sin in ones life. And I'm willing to do all that I can to bring someone to the foot of the cross - and if that means that they end up hating me for something that I've said. Then I'll have to be ok with that - but pray that God would really reveal Himself to the other person.
"My dear brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back again, you can be sure that the one who brings that person back will save that sinner from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins." (Jame 5:19 NLT)
"This is the message he has given us to announce to you: God is light and there is no darkenss in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness. We are not living in the truth. But if we are living in the light of GOd's presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with eachother, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin. If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. If we clain we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts." (1John 1:5-10 NLT)
To Him be all glory and honor,
Blessings,
Michelle
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