Blogger: Wendy Lawton
Location: Round Top, Texas
This last fall my husband and I went to a prayer retreat that had one purpose– to help us learn to listen. I was shocked to discover how powerful listening is. I’ve been trying to put it into practice as a spiritual discipline.
As writers, listening is doubly important. We are called to listen to the world around around us. How can we honestly write if we are not listeners? Novelists know this. Lauraine Snelling, the bestselling writer of both historical and contemporary fiction was just telling me about something that happened to her as she was driving through the desert a couple of weeks ago. She heard a voice saying one poignant line. Lauraine says she nearly had to pull the car to the side of the road. She could picture the scene from that one line. She started crying and knew she had to know the rest of the story. It will be the centerpiece of her next book.
(Those of you who do not write fiction are probably creeped out by that– voices and all. It’s not a serious illness. Trust me, for novelists, it’s quite normal.)
Lauraine is a listener.
Over the last three days I encouraged you to dream, to risk and to ask. All proactive words. Now it’s time to listen. It’s an important word to work into your goals for the year. The more you listen, the more you’ll have to write.
So help us with this word. Have any of you discovered new ways to listen? Have you experienced the power that comes with listening? Share with us what you’ve learned.
For me, listening usually starts with turning off the noise. Excellent post, Wendy!
Wendy, I’m guilty of sometimes being so self-centered that, although I listen, I don’t really hear what others are trying to communicate to me. Unfortunately, this can also apply to what God is telling me.
Yet there have been times when I’ve heard what God is saying as clearly as though it were audible. These are precious times, and I’m working to allow for more of them.
Powerful post–thanks for sharing it.
I am not great at listening. It’s something I’ve always struggled with. It’s also probably why God has to sometimes knock me over the head with something before I say, “Oh, that’s what you meant.” LOL!
Thanks for the reminder of how important listening is.
Great post – very inspiring.
Oh – and I’m not creeped out. I hear voices all the time! lol
🙂
My best listening (to the voices only I hear) comes when I ask open-ended questions I don’t know the answer to. And then I listen to see who has the answer.
My best listening (to the voices everyone can hear) is when I shut up and stop trying to impress people.
Because I enjoy cooking shows, and am a better cook because of it–ask me for my five minute, five ingredient chicken alfredo recipe–I often turn on the little television in my kitchen when I’m working on meal-making (too many meals in this many years of marriage!!!!) or clean-up. But every time I leave the TV off when I’m alone in the kitchen, ideas for novels, devotionals, and ministry flow. All my scribbled notes on the counter have spaghetti sauce, coffee stains, or chocolate on them! Do I NEED the companionship of the cooking shows while I chop chives? No. I need to listen. Great post, as usual, Wendy. I want a more contemplative life, but I’m treasuring the contemplative pocket-sized moments, too.
Sometimes I listen in my sleep and wake up with an inspiration. Of course that may be influenced by what I was thinking and praying about as I fell asleep, so I’m not sure if it counts as listening or not.
It may sound oxymoronic, but having six children has helped me to listen to that inner voice. With all the mayhem, I am forced to tune out the noise and really concentrate. I’ve also realized that I need all the help I can get, so I try to listen for the whisper of the Holy Spirit as much as possible!
Forgive the second post, but in the last few minutes, as I was LISTENING, more listening ideas came. Reading God’s Word unstops my ears…if I don’t rush through it. One verse of Scripture says something to the effect, “Don’t be in a hurry to leave the king’s presence.” I’m lighting a match to the kindling now in the fireplace, because staring into a fire promotes listening and staring at Facebook promotes a mental traffic jam.
This is a timely post for me. I just came back from two days at the ocean. I needed to quiet all the voices and the noise of pounding waves helps me do that. Tuesday morning I sat for three hours, hypnotized by the motion of the waves, completely ignorant of the passing of time. By Tuesday evening I was free (finally) to listen.
For me, listening must be done with minimal distractions: no TV, music, or others talking. Total silence is best!
Solid, inspiring series this week, Wendy. I’ve really enjoyed reading it. Thanks!
Wow. This was a really great reminder. Thank you!
BTW LOVED this. It made me laugh. So true!
Those of you who do not write fiction are probably creeped out by that– voices and all. It’s not a serious illness. Trust me, for novelists, it’s quite normal.)
I’ve been intrigued for a long while about the “Discipline of silence” and learning to listen … thanks for the reminder … maybe this is my year to learn a new level of listening.
Herman Melville wrote: ‘God’s one and only voice is silence.’ So hears (I meant that) to listening!
Sometimes God speaks to me in the shower – no kids, no husband, no distractions so God drops a word or two in my heart there. He has convicted me of sins, given me ideas, and encouragement. Another place he speaks is when I go out for walks by myself. I love his companionship.
Have a blessed day.