Power of Listening

When Job’s friends heard about Job’s trials, they came to comfort him.

When they didn’t even recognize him because of the boils covering him, they wept.

They sat on the ground with him and didn’t speak for a week,  Job 2:11-13.

You have likely experienced a situation where you were at a loss for words that could comfort someone who is suffering. At times like that, listening often has more power than speaking. 

By simply being there to listen to the person, you demonstrate that:

• you value the person, their thoughts, and feelings. 
• you love and care about the person. 
• you don’t underestimate the significance of the pain they are experiencing. 

(Job’s friends later demonstrated that the wrong kind of speaking can make things worse.)

Sometimes, the best thing to say is nothing.