Pop the Balloon or Miss Out on God’s Blessing

I’m sitting here thinking. And I decided to hop on my phone for this one because I didn’t feel like opening the laptop. 🤣

Recently, my husband and I have been watching a trending show that involves singles finding love. The game is quite simple.

An available bachelor comes out to meet a line-up of ladies. As he answers their questions, and they answer his, balloons are popped based on the responses. This game is also played with a bachelorette meeting a line-up of men.

Of course, the game came with antics but it also showcased shallowness and the dangers of misunderstanding.

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. (James 1:19) NLT

Why is this? Why do we speak first without listening?

I believe Jesus answers this with a simple comparison.

A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. (Matt. 12:35) NLT

Listening is a Spiritual Strategy

Listening takes humility because you are choosing to create a safe space for someone other than yourself.

Listening takes patience because you choose to wait your turn to speak. You choose to wait for the other person to express themselves and voice their concerns. You are valuing their feelings, compassionately, before your own.

Listening takes love because you desire understanding. You desire to work things out. You desire reconciliation.

Listening takes kindness because you choose to make the other person feel safe enough to share their feelings and thoughts.

It also takes gentleness because you want the other person to receive your response.

Do you want the conversation to end in reconciliation and understanding?

Do you want it to draw you closer?

A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare (Pro. 15:1) NLT

Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit. (Pro. 15:4) NLT

Listening is also an expression of self-control. The enemy wants us so amped that we end up saying the wrong thing. Or causing an even bigger issue to arise.

Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. (James 3:2) NLT

Listening is more than just a communication technique. It’s a strong strategy in taking away Satan’s opportunity to create confusion, sow discord (which means disagreements between people), and stir up anger.

Listening Has a Secret Weapon

But listening comes with a secret weapon about that I believe a lot of wives struggle using.

This secret weapon?

Asking questions. 🙋🏽‍♀️

Not to prove a point. But to fill in empty gaps so that there is no misunderstanding or miscommunication. And it takes wisdom to get this part of the conversation right.

Listening is more than just keeping quiet as someone else speaks. Or waiting your turn to speak. The backbone of a good listener is made out of understanding and gaining clarity.

If we can master asking questions to gain understanding and clarity, we can tackle any little communication hiccup we have with our husbands or anyone else in our lives.

But the key 🔑 is wanting to understand and gain clarity.

Jesus made it clear: There are only two kinds of treasuries of the heart. Good treasury. Evil treasury.

• Good treasure desires godly outcomes.

• Evil treasury desires sinful outcomes.

I’ve heard many people say Disagreements are natural in a marriage.

The truth is disagreements are sinfully natural because they are birthed out of sin.

And being a believer, they are attacks from the enemy to tear apart what God has joined together.

We were created for unity because woman was made from man. So, there is a spiritual connection the enemy desires to sever if we let him.

But resistance is crucial. To resist Satan’s spiritual darts of confusion and disagreements, we have to allow God’s Holy Spirit to lead us. We have to be prayerful. We have to be watchful.

Disagreements are common attacks but we’ve been given power to tread upon all the works of the enemy. (Luke 10:9)

So ladies, ready to suit up and boot up? 😌

We have to work to do. Let’s take care of our spiritual muscles so we can wear this armor of God through Christ our confidence.

A wise woman builds her house. (Pro. 14:11)