Sunday, April 10, 2011

Conversation.

Conversation.

Have you ever had one of those conversations where you couldn't get your talking rhythm down just right and you both ended up talking at the same time? Then you stopped at the same time. Then you started at the same time. Then you both chuckled, waited silently, then somehow started talking again at the same time. How frustrating! Most of the time this happens when talking on the phone, but can happen in person. If it happens in person, most people can recognize the other persons body language and know when it is their turn to speak.

I wonder how many of our conversations with God go like this. I wonder how many times, when we are praying, that we do all the talking and never stop to listen to hear how He might respond. I can see how the above scenario could happen during our prayer time. We start talking, God silently listens, waiting to get a word in, then we pause, we don't hear anything within a few seconds, then we start talking again thus repeating the vicious cycle.

My mom used to frustrate me by saying "Jonathan, your ears don't work while your mouth is running". Now that I'm older, I realize the truth in that saying. I still don't like to hear it, but it is true nonetheless.

We are taught to "Cast our cares unto the Lord, for He cares" (1 Peter 5:7), but we also need to realize that our communication with God was meant to be two-way. Just like any relationship, there is a time to talk and a time to listen. We must take the time to be quiet and still and force ourselves to listen and reflect. Without a two-way conversation, our relationship with God becomes a "Santa Claus" relationship where all we do is tell Him what we want and then walk away hoping to get it.

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