Originally published: July 28, 2025 on The Compass
Before we speak, teach, or act, one question matters most: Have we listened?
Spiritual formation doesn’t begin with doing—it begins with listening. In this reflection, I explore how listening is the first posture of a disciple, the starting point of love, and the core of spiritual transformation. Drawing from Scripture, Bonhoeffer, Nouwen, and my own journey, I name what many sense: we live in a noisy world that’s forgotten how to truly listen—especially in the church. But God is the Great Listener, and to grow in Christlikeness means learning to reflect that same posture. Listening is not a passive act. It’s a holy ministry—and it just might be where healing begins.