Have you ever been mesmerized by someone speaking? (This can be in conversation or up in front of a crowd.) Have you ever felt captivated by someone’s words? Have you ever wanted to be in on what someone else was getting fired up about?
Those are the times where you are listening to the heart most present.
I love listening to the heart. I love listening, and responding, to people who are so full of passion. Passion makes the heart overflow.
I smile so big when the person speaking recognizes they have just had a “carried away” kind of moment.
Maxwell has a great quote that I love – “Leaders must hear from God before they speak for God.”
There is such a marked difference when someone is speaking from the heart. I am always captivated by someone who has experienced, and wrestled through, what they are talking about.
Experiences that are so a part of us are easy to talk about. I know for me, there are some things that are so easy for me speak about. This can be both topics of passion or pain. Things of the heart do not need a script.
I want to be this kind of a speaker and communicator. I want to be the kind of person who speaks from what is in my heart. Always. I desire for people to experience the overflow of my heart. I know this can go both ways with negative things as well, but it’s my desire nonetheless.
I want to encourage you to wrestle first before speaking. Maybe this is what James meant when he said, “be quick to listen, and slow to speak.” I want us to be passionate people about really knowing God. I desire so much for us to be a people who offer out of the overflow of intimacy in wrestling with him.
Wrestle with the hard things. Wrestle with your story.
Do you know how the disciples were recognized? They were seen, and heard, as people “who had been with Jesus.” I want that for you and me!
I value the heart so much. I value what the overflow is saying. So in my own version of Maxwell’s quote, internalize it before you verbalize it.
What can you talk about that needs no script?
I find myself able to just get absolutely passionate about encouraging people to always be who God created them to be. To never give up, to never give in, to never allow themselves to be overtaken by others who want to suppress their lives.
It’s such a deep passion of mine, because I have lived such a life. I have struggled. I have wrestled with this. And at times…I still do. Though we come to wholeness in Christ when we embrace His healing into it – it doesn’t mean we’ll never experience moments where we will feel (or even at times, act out) in moments of who we used to be in our past. Our natural selves are flesh – and the flesh will always be tempted by what it knows best. And the best way I have discovered to tackle this, is to get some vehemently passionate when I see shame, suppression of the spirit, and just flat out meanness or negativity about someone elses’ being – is to attack it with copious amounts of encouragement; letting others know the truth God speaks to us through His Word (and His Word alone), prompting us to always choose His love embracing our lives instead of embracing what this world dictates it to us.
i can hear your passion in that comment! nice! great words of dreams you have. hoping you are getting lots of opportunities to spread encouragement.
Great post! Do you ever feel misunderstood in your passion? Sometimes it seems that I get passionate about things at a deeper level than most, and it’s not always understood. But, it’s who I am.
yes. some things seem so clear me (you) and not to others. I still love trying to talk about/through those things. Are you getting chances to talk about your passions?
I can talk about the power of words, and how we all need to hear words of redemption. About the journey deeper with God and how its worth all cost.
such truth in those things! are you getting chances to talk about those things?
Honestly, it has been more of a season of listening. I’ve done some with blogging but I’m piecing a few things together and knowing I’m starting to bubble over.
I know this is a great surprise, but when talking about NASA and my faith’s Sacred Orders, I get all fired up. The heavens and the women who marry Christ- weird together, but I love talking about them. I’m fairly certain those in my life get tired of both!
i’m so shocked by your answer!! haha! I love hearing your passion about NASA! loved talking to you about prime numbers and the trinity!
so very true. stories and passion make such a difference!
you have favorites for you?