• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • About
    • About Us
  • Encourage
    • Rule of Life
    • Lectio Divina
    • Personal Year-end Examen
  • Prepare
    • Leadership Training
    • LSM Facilitator Resources
  • Connect
    • Tuesday Together
    • weekend together
  • Formation Zoé
Lifesprings International Ministries

Lifesprings International Ministries

Encouraging, preparing, and connecting women to impact their communities with the love of God.

  • Home
  • Contact
  • Give
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

The Power of a Listening Ear

February 12, 2019 by Ezers Leave a Comment

Listen:

“Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.”  (Psalm 42:7, NIV)

Reflect:

A few days after Christmas, the nursing home called my husband because his father was agitated, striking the staff and trying to leave.  Jay headed over there to talk to him.  Jay listened to him describe a conspiracy, and it was up to his father to make things right, so he had to leave.  Jay suggested that it was too cold for him to be outside, and then he took him back to his room to open some mail, which was always enjoyable for him. Eventually his father calmed down.

 Jay did an excellent job de-escalating the conflict by just listening to his father, even in his confusion. Jay did not fight him, nor tell him that he was wrong.  He then focused him on a more pleasant task. 

Sadly, Jay’s dad died unexpectedly the next day.  In “listening” to this conversation in retrospect, perhaps something deeper was also going on.  People who are approaching death often use symbolic language, even if they don’t know they will soon die.  I wonder if something in his spirit knew that he would have to leave and “make things right” soon.  We are thankful that he is now with the One who makes all things right.

Prayer of Response:

“Lord Jesus, help us to listen to those who are hurting or anxious as a first response that we might bring Your transforming grace into our family conflicts.  Amen.”

—Submitted by Libby Rutherford

_____
Image by Poswiecie from Pixabay

Category iconUncategorized

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Give via Check in the U.S.

 

Make check out to:
 Faith and Learning International

IMPORTANT, please write:
LIFESPRINGS GENERAL FUND in the MEMO line

Mail to:
Faith and Learning International
PO Box 480
Wheaton, IL 60187-0480

To give by bank transfer in Euros:

 

IBAN: FR76 1009 6180 4100 0576 2590 144
Account: 00057625901
Bank: CIC FERNEY VOLTAIRE 10096
BIC: CMCIFRPP

Association name: Lifesprings France
Bank: CIC FERNEY VOLTAIRE
Address: 1 Avenue Voltaire
01210 Ferney Voltaire, FRANCE

Phone: +33 8 20 30 05 83