It was a feat of endurance listening to Amira talk non-stop for about two hours. It was mostly trivia which didn’t lack detailed information. She had a way of talking that hardly allowed room to interact. I discovered after numerous visits that this would be the pattern and I wasn’t certain if I wanted to continue visiting her. It seemed like a waste of time. There was always much I wanted to share with her, especially the Good News. I began praying for more grace if God wanted me to continue visiting her. There are numerous women like Amira in my life. They open their mouths and out comes a torrent of words like a rushing waterfall. Perhaps you have a Muslim friend like this. Or did. Sometimes it can be so exhausting that we give up with them. As I prayed about this the Spirit seemed to be saying to me, “Joy, just relax and listen to them.” Listen? That’s all I do with them. “No, I mean really listen to them.” So, I decided to relax, let them talk as long as they need to, and listen with no agenda of my own. What a difference it has made. Usually a person talks compulsively at length because there is underlying anxiety. Suddenly, the flow of words parts a way and finally I can speak. But, since I have relaxed and listened, the Spirit has actually revealed her underlying need and I can address that. So much is revealed just by listening. Then I gather up all the fragments of her words and say, “Why don’t we talk to God about all these things?” or I ask if I can read something from the Bible that might interest them. Over the years I have gone from resenting and being agitated by compulsive long talking to discovering that much is being revealed which leads to wonderful evangelistic opportunities. Time is not wasted.
Help, My Friend Won’t Talk!

A Muslim woman may talk too much or not enough which can prove challenging for us to endure but the Spirit is able to breakthrough and show us the way to speak spiritual Life to them. He can also help us if we talk too much or not enough!