Wait and Listen

Today it seems people have a lot to say, and learning to "Wait and Listen" is not something often encouraged. Take a moment as Jane Hansen Hoyt shares insight into familiar situations that will help usher God into the midst of difficult things.

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, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 

It's so easy to see a situation that needs to be fixed, or find a reason to interject into a conversation because our view and input will make it better, right? While it may seem like we have all the right answers, God's response is the best option and truly He will see it through in His timing - and we just have to wait for his "OK".

• Are you someone who tends to be a "fixer"?
• Looking back, are there times where you should have waited and listened for God's direction, before jumping in on your own will?

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

Have you ever found yourself in a situation maybe with friends or this holiday season where with friends, family, just different groups of people - Have you ever found that you feel lacking in an ability to fix something? perhaps you see a strained relationship or a quarrelsome situation or you feel the tension that can arise in certain relationships or at certain times and there's something in you that wants to fix it?
You want to say just the right thing? You want to, uh maybe, confront or well, you didn't have to say that or there's just something there that wants to make it better? But most of the time our wanting to make it better doesn't help. I think one of the greatest gifts that the Lord gives us through the direction of his Holy Spirit is to learn to wait and learn to be quiet. People have a lot to say, but learning to be quiet is really a gift from the Holy Spirit and when we're in situations like that, I’m not saying don't ever say a word, but I am saying wait and listen. It might be something that the Lord gives opportunity for you to say at another time, in another place. But the key is waiting and listening and not rushing in with words to try to fix someone, fix their situation, fix the tension. Wait.

God wants this healed more than you want it healed and our words can sometimes mix things up, or cause resentment or other tensions to arise. Like oh you think you have all the answers? No I know I don’t, but when we wait for the Holy Spirit, he opens the door at the perfect time and sometimes it's just a word or a phrase. It’s not a sermon it's not always a Bible verse. It’s usually just that simple communication of “I’m here, I’m with you, I care I don't want you to hurt, I’m here for you. Learn to wait, learn to listen. It's good to wait on the Lord.”