Why Can’t I hear You?

I’m in Calgary taking a course that is primarily a review of counselling courses I took fifteen years ago. Now don’t get me wrong, I am not complaining that I have to take another course that I have already taken. Counselling styles have changed over the years and it is always a bonus to learn new techniques and get some practice with some incredibly talented people. Something that really stood out for me was a simple phrase; “do we listen to respond or are we silent to comprehend?” I have often heard the phrase “we have two ears and one mouth so we need to listen twice as much as we speak” but the other thought seems to expand a bit on that. When others are talking, are we too busy formulating what we are going to say in response or do we take the time to really listen to others, mull it over for a bit and then respond or even rephrase what we just heard? As an aside, did you know that listen and silent use the same letters just in a different order?

So you may ask what does this have to do with a Christian walk. Over the years, many have told me they left the church because they don’t feel that the gathering or God is all that relevant in their lives. They say they prayed for miracles and asked for all sorts of signs but there was only silence. My question for them today is this; are they listening to respond or are they silent in comprehension? I am looking for a miracle and I prayed and prayed yet nothing happened. Here is the thing however, if we put it out there and seek out the miracles He provides rather than look for only the responses we are expecting, are we truly understanding what God has gifted us with? I got upset with traffic the other day in Calgary, took a couple wrong turns, added time to my journey and prayed that God would give me calmness. As I arrived at the first set of lights on the outskirts of the city, there were police cars all over the place and a few cars in various states of disrepair scattered all over the road. In my mind I heard that it could have been me had I been a few minutes earlier. The question we all need to ask is not “why don’t You provide what I ask for?” but rather “what do You have in mind for us now?” It is at that moment we need to remain silent and seek out the provisions He has lovingly provided.

This Sunday, we continue our journey through Psalm 119:81-88. We invite you to join us if you can at 10:30 MST on Sunday or watch live online on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MainAvenueFellowship/ ) or view it afterwards on our website (www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.ca).

Blessings
Pastor Todd