Spend Time Listening and Looking for God's Response

In my profession, we're taught that we should listen to understand, not to respond. Even though it's our nature to be quick with a reply, thinking before we speak can go a long way to being clear when we finally do open our mouths. The same with our prayer time. Rather than ramble off a few words, slap an amen at the end and then hop off to business as usual, it's just as important to spend time waiting to hear from God. That's a conversation. Give and take.