Learning to Listen and Pray a Response

Bob’s TFT Wednesday 06-25-2025

Bible Passage: James 1:19 “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”

We have two ears and one mouth, so we should listen twice as much as we speak, but the truth be known, we often respond before we’ve even heard the entire message. We want both the first and the last word.

I have caught myself on many occasions wanting to respond after only a few words. It is as if I know the entire message and what I have to say is most important. This makes me a fool.

Let’s compound my problem with a slight hearing loss and I am way out on a limb with a saw in hand. I need to pay closer attention to what is being said and allow my heart and mind to form words not in reaction, but in response to what is being said.

My reason for saying this is that we need to speak from the heart where God’s Holy Spirit resides, rather than the mind with its anger, frustration, and fear. We find kindness, love, and support from the heart, but often find destruction and malice lurking in our minds.

Think about the times that your words got you into trouble. Would that have occurred if you had responded after a time of prayer rather than reacting? We need to learn to carry everything to God in prayer, so that He will enable us to speak in love, not anger.

Let’s double our effort to respond in prayer and stop reacting in discontent. The world will be a better place.