A Morning Prayer to Listen Before I Speak

Speak, Lord. I'm listening.

Most mornings I do all the talking.
I bring my list, I say my piece,
and I'm gone before You can answer.
This morning, let me be quiet with You first.

Then teach me to listen like that all day.
To hear the whole story before I answer.
To hear what a friend isn't quite saying.
To let an older person finish slowly,
and a child finish loudly.

Keep me from planning my reply
while someone is still talking.
Make me quick to hear and slow to speak,
so that when I do speak,
my words are worth the wait.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

When to Pray This

Pray this in the first quiet minutes of the morning, and let there be a pause after the first line before you go on. It helps before a conversation you have been dreading, or a visit with someone who needs time to speak.

A Verse to Hold On To

"Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger." — James 1:19 (BSB)