When Silence Creeps You Out

How many times have we been excited to tell a story to someone, to express an excitement or a share an aha moment, only for it to fall on deaf ears? 

“...All who have ears to hear, let them listen…” Essentially Jesus is saying: Listen up! Pay close attention! The Greek Scriptures record this phrase, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear" seven times, each time from the lips of the Christ. Although we hear with our ears, many of us don’t necessarily listen to what is being said. 

Whether we’re communicating with a significant other, family members, a colleague or friend, everyone wants to feel heard. And if we’re in conflict—when emotions are inflamed, it’s easy for understanding to be compromised, agreements to seem impossible and hearing to be all but lost. When we don’t hear we’ll,  when we are reacting too quickly or  judging, or providing solutions, even disagreeing, we become less of a  a good sounding board and more like somebody who just wants to be heard. But when someone listens to you well, it makes you feel that: You’re known. You are confirmed.  You exist. You belong. You’re valued. You are accepted - just as you are.

I hope you appreciate this quote, too: “The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them.”  ~Ralph Nichols

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