Just Listen

I saw this on Facebook a short while ago, and I can testify to how truthful it is. In case something goes wrong with the image, it reads, "Just Listen. The most powerful way to heal someone is to listen. Don't think or judge. Just listen. People start to heal the moment they feel heard. You can't be a healer if you refuse to step outside of your own emotions and view things entirely from the perspective of the other person."

I know that this is true. I have healed people just by listening to them, and I have been healed just by being heard. Naturally, I've also had experiences where I've actively tried to heal people or other people have actively tried to heal me (figuratively), only to have it backfire because we were doing it wrong. At least some times, the best way to heal someone is to do nothing but listen, maybe offer some sympathy, and mostly just try to understand.

Maybe that's what makes God such a good healer. He's a good listener. He doesn't respond much. He doesn't judge. He listens. We should follow His example by listening to others, too. Often, that's all it takes.