Listening is hard work...

So, this afternoon I told someone I was suffering from exhaustion and they thought I said I was "installing an exhaust fan". It was funny and it got me thinking...

Listening is hard work. All semester long, I have sat in my preaching clinic once a week and listened to eight of my fellow students give their sermons. It has been really great to see how everyone is growing and improving in their ability to preach. Usually we only hear two people per class and it usually goes about 2 hours with all of the feedback, etc. Well today - the last day of class - there were six funeral sermons scheduled. I had to do one of those, but I have to say it was hard work listening to the other five. It's not that they weren't good or encouraging, its just that it takes a lot of effort for me to listen well. Three and half hours later I was exhausted.

To be honest, I am not all that good of a listener in general. I feel like I have to work twice as hard at doing that than most anything else. I am a multitasker by nature and that doesn't stop with my mind. I have to work really hard to focus on what the other person is saying or I will start thinking about something altogether different. I know I need to get better, but how does one really, truly work on their listening ability anyway? I think I have improved a little over the years (and hopefully Meg will back me up on this) but I really feel like this is an area I need to get a lot better in.

So much to learn, so little time...