Daily Digest #49

They sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him. —Job 2:13

We are normally concerned of our family and friends' lives so we try to help them as much as we can. And most times, we are unaware that the "help" we do interferes with what God really intends us to do, or be. As family members, it's normal to be protective of our siblings, our children, our spouses... yet there are times when we forget to listen, rather than talk about the shoulda-coulda-woulda's. I gained understanding and enlightenment on this from my family and friends on several occasions. I learned that sometimes, all we need to do is shut up and be there. No questions why this mistake was done, or how one ended up in such a complicated situation, or what on earth was the other thinking. We may be the wiser person at these troubled times, but isn't it much wiser to be kind and sympathetic instead? We wouldn't know how a person truly feels if we do not allow him/her to express one's self, without judgment or self-righteousness.

For this, may we be good listeners. Sometimes, all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand. May we also remember that each of us is in some kind of battle, and that we ought to be kind to each other. May we learn to control our grudges and self-righteousness and divert them to prayer instead. May we always believe in the power of prayer.