#173: Skill Set: What makes a good listener with Becky Harling

INSIDE: What makes a good listener? How can you become a better listener? Giving grace to others starts with hearing their heart. Listen to Becky Harling.

The first words in the Bible speak of the cosmos hearing God’s spoken words and obeying: “And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” At the heart of Israel’s prayer life is God’s call to listen in Deuteronomy 6:4: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” The writers of the Psalms ask God to listen to them and then write how He hears them and acts. As God’s sheep, we hear His voice; because we listen, we follow Him.

So, yes, listening is important to God. It is vital to our relationship with Him and with others.

And also, our lives are full, so time to listen is hard to come by. Our hearts long to teach and correct – which are good and certainly have their place – but sometimes people just want to be heard. Our brains are so full of distractions about deadlines, upcoming events, and the logistics of our schedule that sometimes it’s hard to stay focused on what the person right in front of us is saying.

So if we want to become more and more like Christ, and Christ is someone who listens, how do we grow in this skill?

I can think of no one better to talk about how to listen than today’s guest, Becky Harling.

In today’s episode, you’ll receive practical strategies and anchoring truths for giving grace by becoming a better listener:

How to tell if you’re a good listener,
What it means to “listen to your heart,”
Four ways to get your teenager to talk with you,
And help when you long to fix or offer solutions when someone shares a struggle.

Quotes about giving grace

“We need to be the safe people Jesus was.” – Becky Harling
“Be quick to listen and then test what you’re hearing against the Word of God.” – Becky Harling
“What teenagers need most from us is a non-judgmental attitude.” – Becky Harling

Quotes about becoming a better listener

“Jesus is who I want to shape my life around.” – Becky Harling
“God wants to talk with you.” – Becky Harling
“When you feel tempted to fix a problem, shift your focus to asking questions.” – Becky Harling
“Conflict is an opportunity to strengthen the relationship.” – Becky Harling
“If you want the people around you to feel loved, you need to make sure you’re doing everything in your power to make them feel heard.” – Becky Harling