Listening Enhanced with the Help of the Holy Spirit

Our old sinful, selfish nature sometimes prevents us from truly listening but our new nature in Christ, empowered by the Spirit at work in us, produces Christ-like character in us that helps us listen attentively, carefully, and respectfully. Listening enhanced with the help of the Holy Spirit makes such a difference.

Listening Enhanced by the Fruit of the Spirit

Specifically, it’s the fruit of the Spirit developed within us that makes us more Christ-like listeners.

• When we’re preoccupied with self, it’s hard to listen. But, the Spirit helps us become other-centered, by developing within us the fruit of love.

• When we’re controlled by our circumstances and busy schedules, we don’t want to be inconvenienced to stop long enough to truly listen. But, the Spirit helps us delight in the person instead, by developing within us the fruit of joy.

• When we always need to be right, we usually don’t even want to listen to the other person’s opinions or concerns. But, the Spirit helps us let go and become more teachable, by developing within us the fruit of peace.

• When we feel we know the answer, it’s difficult not to interrupt when someone’s talking. But, the Spirit helps us wait for the person to finish, by developing within us the fruit of patience.

• When we don’t like what we’re hearing, it’s easy to rudely disrupt or blatantly ignore the person. But, the Spirit helps us become considerate and respect the person, by developing within us the fruit of kindness.

• When we’re tired of someone rambling on, we might find ourselves tuning them out. But the Spirit helps us re-focus despite how we feel, by developing within us the fruit of goodness.

• When we’re appalled by what someone is saying, we might react negatively even without saying a word. But the Spirit helps us demonstrate an acceptance of the person, even through our body language, despite what they’re saying, by developing within us the fruit of faithfulness.

• When we’re listening to someone speaking defensively or combatively, it would be easy to stop them in their tracks and verbally retaliate. But the Spirit helps us respond in a way that tends to de-escalate rather than escalate their aggressiveness by developing within us the fruit of gentleness.

• When we let ourselves get easily distracted by all we have to do, or by our surroundings, it’s hard to remain attentive to what someone’s saying. But, the Spirit helps us reign in our thoughts by developing within us the fruit of self-control.

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. (Gal. 5:16)

Learn More about Christ-like Listening: Christ-like Communication Guide for Church Leaders

For More on These Topics, Go To:

• Effective Christ-like Communication Skills Resources
• Resources about the Holy Spirit

All Posts about Listening Skills:

• Start by Listening to God
• Getting Others On Board Starts by Listening
• Listening, A Core Element of Body Life
• Why We Start by Listening to the Lord
• Why Listen to Others
• Jesus Actively Listened
• Christ-like Listening Communicates
• If Listening Doesn’t Come Naturally
• Is Listening One of Your Weaknesses?
• Listening Enhanced with the Help of the Holy Spirit
• Praying According to God’s Will Begins & Ends with Listening
• Want Someone to Listen?
• Scripture Equips Us to Listen
• Doing Everything in His Name Makes Us Better Listeners
• The Gospel Gives Us a Reason to Listen
• Strongholds That Keep Us from Being Good Listeners
• The Resurrection Gives What We Need to be Better Listeners
• Listening Affects Fulfilling Leadership Roles