Have you ever tried active listening with God? It’s hard. Partly because he almost never audibly speaks! And in a world where silence is uncomfortable (and to someone like myself who God has to regularly teach to rest and stop controlling everything), it can be even harder!
I recently heard a story about a reporter who once asked Mother Teresa what she says when she prays. “I listen,” she responded. The reporter then asked, “And what does God say?” To which she answered, “He listens.”
I was lost in thought when I first heard that, picturing what it would be like to see her pray in this way. It’s sounds elementary – when you pray, listen. He already knows our heart and we already know what we’re asking of him. Listen. And maybe it is elementary, but in that moment, I honestly couldn’t remember the last time I prayed and actually left space to just listen.
So I began. It was much harder than I expected to quiet my mind enough to listen. But I kept at it and it got easier. And I was soon shocked at how easy it became. New ideas, thoughts, answers began coming quickly – like 30-seconds-quickly. It was almost as if God was just sitting there waiting in each moment and as soon as I approached Him, he responded.
This year my ‘rule of life’ is Be Active, Be Still. The ‘be active’ part refers to being physically, socially, and spiritually active. The ‘be still’ part refers to sitting with God and being still enough to hear His voice, direction, and heart.
It’s been a beautiful journey. One I’m sure I’ll forget at some point and have to relearn, but the beauty of God is that he is always there, ready to guide us, teach us, love us, listen to us, and be with us as we give space to be with Him.
When the Israelites were being led out of Egypt and saw the Egyptians closing in on them, they began to question if they had made the right decision by crying out to God and to Moses about their supposed mistake, but Moses replied in Exodus 14:13-14 –
“Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today.
For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you,
and you have only to be silent.”
Jenny Karr, CPLC
About the Author:
Jenny has been a fundraising coach with Tailored Fundraising Solutions for the last five years serving people in ministry – whether that be individual missionaries or non-profit leaders looking to fund the ministries God has given them.
Jenny and her family served as missionaries in SE Asia from 2012-2014 where she got an up close look at the danger of missionaries being left to fend for themselves.
Her missions is to train, equip, and support people in ministry and she has a particular passion for working with people in transition or those starting or growing their business.
Jenny has volunteered on the CCNI Board since October 2017 and currently serves at President.
Outside of work, Jenny enjoys spending as much time as possible with her husband and teenage daughter in their hometown of Nashville, Tennessee.
