Listen 2

Voice of Eden (episode 147)

Thur. 28th November 2019

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_ Choose who you listen to. 

Key passage: James 1:19

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.

Dear friend, 

Thinking about this scripture, I recently discovered that most of the conflicts, misunderstanding or problems we got into was not necessarily because of what we heard, but because of what we said or the way we reacted after listening to what was said. That's why we must all ensure that as good listeners we must first be slow to speak and then have control over our emotions. Simply because what you hear can either push words out of your mouth, making you say things without thinking or give you a certain wrong emotional reaction. 

*If you can't handle it don't give a listening ear*

Today we are quick to hear everything. Things that suddenly makes us react or talk in a certain way to certain people. I told you that scripture told us exactly what we should be quick to listen to. I'll tell you a short story. 

Just before her husband died,  Mrs A got to know that her husband was having an affair with the widow he claimed he was helping. Before he died he went to a pastor friend and told him all he had done and asked what he should do. The man told him, "tell your wife before you die" (because he had STD). After disclosing it to her, she couldn't control the way she felt or things she said to him before he dead. They had several major fights before he finally dead. After his dead she was still bitter and disgusted over everything then she said, "I would have been better off not knowing."

I said this story simply because certain things are not meant to be listened to even if they are said. We should learn to interrupt people just before the said what we can't handle. Certain things has been said about you in your absence, but it's great that you were absent. If someone comes to inform you of a negative thing someone said or did to you in your absence, if you can't control your emotions or what you say back to the person in question, kindly interrupt. _Trust me friend, you'll be better off not knowing._

*Choose what gets your attention*

What you listen to may just be the reason why you are constantly angry about everything, hating, afraid, aggressive, loving, kind, positive or negative. It's all about what you listen to. I told someone, the words are more important than the person it came from. Better put this was, "the message is more important than the messenger." Sometimes we don't listen to sound words because we think we are doing better than the person it's coming from, or because we are older or something.

When Jesus said to his disciples to follow him and he will make them, he didn't plan on remaking a different kind of man from clay. They only needed to sit under him and hear him speak, teach, heal and pray. Everyone on these he did by His words, so Jesus made them by the words He spoke. *They gradually became what they constantly heard.* So kindly be selective with the people and the things you listen to. 

*You'll need to be quiet to hear, but you'll need to be attentive and humble to listen*

One of the reason why we don't hear God is because we are not quiet. So much activities that are noisy and distracting. Also, one of the reasons why we don't listen is because we are not attentive and because we are not humble. If you must listen to God you must not just merely listen, you must pay proper attention and do it with a humble heart. 

#keepgrowing 

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#goodmorning