Let Us Listen First

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. – (James 1:19, NIV)

My dear brothers and sisters, always be more willing to listen than to speak. Keep control of your anger. – (James 1:19, ERV)

Post this at all the intersections, dear friends; Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. – (James 1:19, MSG)

This requires an ongoing decision to be intentional to listen, and truly seek to understand. If we merely listen to respond rather than comprehend what is being spoken, anger has room to rise up, instead of compassion and kindness. Yes, there are times that what is being spoken is not beneficial for anyone. Even then, how we respond makes all the difference. Righteous anger allows us to appropriately respond in love and in truth. The ego, on the other hand, causes responses that only further fan the flames. May we ever seek the Lord to lead us to listen well, so that when we choose to speak, our words are full of life and love and grace.

Lord, help us to seek,

Photo by Dee Jones of Open Door Photography

To listen and learn;

Use our ears and heart,

For gracious return.

Let not our voices,

Respond without thought;

Help us understand,

And love as we ought.

For if truth be told,

Wisdom can be found;

In hearts that listen,

As Your grace abounds.

Dear Heavenly Father, please help us to lead with listening to those around us. Forgive us for the times that we have spoken without truly hearing, or allowed anger to rise and taint our words or actions. Teach us how to rely on You to show us how to listen to understand, speak in love, and allow anger to help us bring change through Your goodness and grace. Lead us in Your love with all those around us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we ever pursue You to grow us more like You. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance. – Proverbs 1:5

May Good Overflow

 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart. – (Luke 6:45, NLT)

Good people have good things saved in their hearts. That’s why they say good things. But those who are evil have hearts full of evil, and that’s why they say things that are evil. What people say with their mouths comes from what fills their hearts. – (Luke 6:45, ERV)

A person full of goodness in his heart produces good things; a person with an evil reservoir in his heart pours out evil things. The heart overflows in the words a person speaks; your words reveal what’s within your heart. – (Luke 6:45, VOICE)

 

God is entirely good. The more we know God and trust in Him, the more we are influenced and transformed to reflect His heart and His character. If we neglect God and the truth of His word, we are susceptible to evil, as it seeps into our hearts and impacts all that we do and say. Either way, what we say and do is directly influenced by where our heart resides. May we ever seek the Lord and His love to fill us, so that what flows from us is a direct reflection of the very heart of God.

 

Wherever our heart,

May choose to reside;

Directly affects,

What comes from inside.

Good comes from a heart,

Set secure on Christ;

When good’s taken in,

We choose sacrifice.

Sacrifice ego,

That causes unkind;

Preferring others,

With their good in mind.

For out of the heart,

Flows what’s held within;

May we clearly show,

Good rather than sin.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your goodness and grace that comes in and transforms the hearts of all who seek You, to reflect Your heart to the world. Forgive us for the times that we have neglected to seek You, or have allowed the world to influence our attitudes and actions instead of depending on You. Teach us to pursue Your heart in all things, so that good may be what flows from us. Show us how to love those around us in a way that allows Your good to be poured out upon all whom we meet. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek Your heart in all things and allow Your good to flow from us. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

Surely Your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. – Psalm 23:6

Lead with Listening

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. – (James 1:19, NIV)

My dear brothers and sisters, always be more willing to listen than to speak. Keep control of your anger. – (James 1:19, ERV)

Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. – (James 1:19, MSG)

 

Listening is an art form that can prevent misunderstanding and bring people closer together. Too often we speak to respond, rather than listen to understand and reply only if necessary. Anger flares and brash words are spoken when we communicate to make our own point, opinion or agenda heard, without taking pause to listen to others around us. I find that the majority of the time, my anger ignites when I jump to conclusions or explain a scenario in my own mind, rather than seeking to listen to whomever did, whatever it was, that incited my frustration to the point of anger. Each time I slow down, take a deep breath, and remind myself to listen with the intent to understand, I discover that there is a reason for the words or actions that transpired. By hearing the heart behind the person, anger or frustration fade, and compassion and kindness begin to rise. May we ever seek the Lord for strength and willingness to listen first, so that our response is a reflection of His heart, rather than a rash reaction that is not necessary to bring resolution.

 

Let us each choose first,

Photo by Dee Jones of Open Door Photography ❤

To listen in love;

Seek to understand,

With grace from above.

If we’re slow to speak,

There’s less to regret;

Peace has a true chance,

God’s love, our asset.

Allow not anger,

To rise and release;

Instead, choose listen,

Discernment brings peace.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to be people who seek listen to understand, speak with intention and grace, and to keep anger in check to prevent words or deeds that cannot be taken back. Forgive us for the times that we have allowed our ego or agenda to cause us to assume ill intent in anger, rather than listening with intention to understand all that is involved in what has transpired before us. Teach us to listen first, seeking to understand, so that if and when we respond, it may be done with love and grace. Show us how to love well through listening to those who need to be heard. May many come into a lasting relationship with You, as You are the God who always hears our heart, regardless of what our words or deeds seem to indicate. Be glorified O God, through our decision to listen first and speak with godly intent, only when we understand, keeping anger in check and love abundant. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance. – Proverbs 1:5

Help Us to See

Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods, they thought they were in control, but look what God did! – (Exodus 18:11, ERV)

Now I know with all my heart that the Eternal is greater than all gods because of the way He delivered His people when Egyptians in their arrogance abused them. – (Exodus 18:11, VOICE)

 

These words were spoken to Moses by his father-in-law, Jethro, after Moses led his people out of captivity in Egypt. Like so many of us, Jethro needed something solid to see to truly believe. The very same God that led Moses to set the captives free from slavery in Egypt, is still alive and active today. When we seek Him and call on His Name, He moves mightily on our behalf. Though Moses never had aspirations to lead the masses out of Egypt, God showed up and called him to something great. If we are willing to ask the Lord and believe in faith, there is no limit to what He will do. God is not like man that His ego will be bruised if we ask for Him to make Himself known to us in a tangible way. Our asking demonstrates our desire to know Him. The Lord is loving and kind and full of grace, and His hope is for all to one day seek His face. May we ever ask in spaces of uncertainty, and keep our eyes and hearts open to the everyday miracles as God moves all around us.

 

At times we need see, 

The hand of the Lord;

Power tangible,

All grace He affords.

For though we need faith,

It too helps to see;

The movement of God,

To help us believe.

Oh Lord, by Your love,

Make Your heart be known;

So people seeking,

In Your grace, find home.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You make Yourself known in tangible ways. Thank You that You have moved mightily throughout the ages. Thank You that we can come to You and ask to see You move in ways that are visible to our human eyes. Forgive us for our lack of faith or for our blind eyes to the work of Your hand that is all around us. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would recognize the countless miracles that take place all around us, and have faith in all that we cannot see. Show us how to love those around us in a way that gives hope and grace and peace where it is lacking. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we ask for evidence of the things that we are unsure about, and give You praise for the faith that You grow greater in us each day. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

They will celebrate Your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of Your righteousness. – Psalm 145:7

It’s Not About Appearances

My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine”, but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I am not going back on that. – (Galatians 2:20-21, MSG)

 

This is a tricky one. As one with people-pleasing tendencies, I have to check myself regularly. What is my motivation? Am I doing what I am doing to please people, or to honor God? There is nothing that we could do to make God love us more, nor impress Him. He loves us so much that He laid down His life for us, individually. The more I know and understand the depth and breadth of His love, the more I desire to love as I am loved. Each act of obedience is a setting aside of self, and simply seeking to serve He who is worthy of all that we are. Nothing He asks of us is about appearances, and all is aimed at loving Him and loving people well. May we set aside every semblance of self, and seek to serve our Savior in all that we say and do.

 

There’s nothing on earth,

That we could choose do;

To impress the Lord,

For nothing is new.

None of us are called,

To try to please men;

But rather to serve,

Honor God again.

For my very life,

Is not at all mine;

So I shall choose live,

By faith in Devine.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we do not need to appear righteous before You or mankind, but rather it is You in us that matters. Thank You that our lives are not our own, but it is You, dwelling in us that compels us to live and to love as You designed us to do. Forgive us for allowing our egos to get in the way, where we worry about pleasing more than doing what we know we are called to do. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would live by faith in a way that honors You in all that we say and do. Show us how to love others in such a way that they too may come to know the goodness and grace that comes from a life in You alone. May many choose a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek to live by faith, rather than try to impress. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. – Proverbs 11:25

His Mighty Power

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. – (Ephesians 6:10)

 

We are not called to buck up, suck it up, and stand up in our own strength, but rather, we are called to be strong in Christ. In order to be strong in His power, we must recognize that we have reached the end of our own. When we are weak, His strength is at the ready – available and waiting for us to call on Him to be in charge. As we place our trust in Him, He is given room to move, as only Christ can do. His power is made perfect, when our ego is out of the way.

 

Lord, without You,

we’ve no strength at all;

for You alone,

hear each time we call.

You are patient,

as You hear each word;

faithful and kind,

with all that is heard.

You grant us strength,

when our strength is gone;

so we can stand,

rise up and press on.

Where we give trust,

You give all the more;

Your mighty strength,

our hope is assured.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that it is only by Your strength, that we may be strong. Thank You that You supply what we need to endure the trials that come our way, and that our ability to stand does not come from ourselves, but rather, it is all from You. Thank You that Your power is made perfect in our weakness. Thank You that You renew and refresh us each day, and that Your mercies are made new every morning. Thank You that Your faithfulness never ends. Forgive us for allowing our hearts to attempt to stand in our own strength, and help us to let down our walls before You, trusting that You are more than enough to see us through. Thank You that in You, we may be strong in Your mighty power. May many come to know Your saving grace, as we allow You to be the strength of our lives. Let those who are looking, find You. Be glorified, as we live and love in Your strength, not ours. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. – James 5:11

As Iron Sharpens Iron

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. – (Proverbs 27:17)

 

Good company helps sharpen our character. As we spend time with one another sharing ideas, discussing insight, and challenging each other, God utilizes conversation to shape and refine us. The sharper we are, the more effective we become for His purpose in and through us. We ought not shy away from passionate discussions with safe people, but rather check our egos at the door and allow the Holy Spirit to do the speaking to our hearts and minds. May we all find friendships that help sharpen us further for God’s glory.

 

Iron meets iron,

and sparks, they may fly;

yet through the process,

impurities die.

The strengths, they rise up,

and soon they are seen;

as it is with us,

exchanges between.

We’re called to relate,

one to another;

bound as believers,

sisters and brothers.

May we safely speak,

and truly be heard;

sharpen each other,

speak truth from His word.

Let go of ego,

be set free from pride;

allow God to work,

He’ll refine inside.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You change us from the inside out to more clearly reflect who You are to the world. Thank You that You utilize each of us with one another, so that we may sharpen each other to be more effective for You. Forgive us for our egos that get in the way, or for our fears that keep us silent. Lead us to safe friendships where we can sharpen each other with the truth and insight You infuse into our hearts. May many come to know the gift of Your saving grace, as we go forth, sharpened by one another. Be glorified, Lord God. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. – 2 Corinthians 3:5