“God, are you listening?”
Real Talk. Does anyone else ever feel like God is deaf or maybe has selective hearing?There have been so many times throughout my 40 years where it seems that all of my prayers and petitions are falling on deaf ears. Asking God to show up in the big and little things of life. Clarity, provision, relationships, health, peace, family, loneliness, a clean bathroom? Surely, I’m not the only one. Last night I found myself so angry with God for spoiling my travel plans. I was angry with myself, the airlines, and God. The feeling of defeat was weighing heavy. My prayers were going unanswered from what I could see. My drive home after wasting 6 hours in an airport only to have to cancel my flights left me fuming. I was physically and emotionally drained. I crashed on my couch in defeat and my dog plopped down on my head in consolation. Little did I know a few hours later a very nice customer service lady would play a role in booking me on a flight. No sleep and a 2.5 hour drive to the airport at 2am. Less than 40 minutes to get through security at O’hare, thanks to a very kind TSA agent giving me first access to an empty checkpoint unprovoked. I made it to the gate with 15 minutes to spare. This led me to sit next to a gentleman heading to say goodbye to lifelong friend. A friend who went to sleep and never woke up. *How often do we not talk to the people in close proximity? Mark and I chatted for a bit. He told me of his 4 kids, their spouses (even the son in law who he initially didn’t approve of), his wife of 43 years, and his 11 grandkids. We laughed, nearly teared up, and talked about parenting and life. Mark encouraged me on this flight. He reminded me that sometimes leaving the earbuds out and talking can be the biggest blessing. As we excited the plane, we wished each other well and parted ways. I don’t know why my plans were turned on their head, but I know that in my faithlessness God was still faithful. May you see His goodness even in the midst of the hard. He loves you. My trip was cut short, but I needed that time with God and Mark. I needed that space to check my heart. God gave me a good heart check on my 2.5-hour drive to the airport. How often are we willing to do extreme things for friends, family, relationships, work, fun, etc. but scared to step out in faith for the audacious things God calls us into? How often do we get upset with God when He doesn’t show up in our time?God isn’t deaf. He hears our requests and He shows up in ways that we can’t always see when we’re stuck pouting. My prayer is that we all do better to embrace the moments we’re given, even if they don’t look the way we planned. Proverbs 19:21 ”Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.”Psalm 55:17 ESV “Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice.”Psalm 145:18 ”The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”Psalm 116:1-2 ”I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. [2] Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.”Proverbs 16:9 ”The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”
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Written by Chris Dominy
