Wednesday, May 25, 2016

He hears you

Do you mean to correct what I say, and treat my desperate words as wind? You would even cast lots for the fatherless and barter away your friend.  Job 6:26-27
 
We all want to be heard, for our ideas to be valued. But when we feel unheard, especially by friends, and family our heart can slump into an unhealthy posture of dejection.  From time to time we all need correction, but not to the point of contempt, where it seems like every time we open our mouth, we feel under attack. There was a season in my life and work where I felt totally unheard. My supervisor acted deaf. The intimidation and innuendos were painful to my heart and almost damaging to my very soul (thank God I knew how to do as David and encourage myself in the Lord). Eventually, we parted ways.  
 
Job finds himself in a situation where he feels totally on the outside of a relationship that once throbbed with passion and possibilities. He tries to reason with an unreasonable person, his friend Eliphaz but, Job’s integrity is on the defensive. Like a swirling wind captures a feather, once Job’s words cross his lips, they are swept away and dismissed by a mind already made up. He tries to claw back with a straightforward and stingingly accurate civil discourse. Job learns: unfair accusations need to be addressed with a prayerful, direct response. Integrity hears first, then speaks (See Proverbs 10:9).  
 
Do you feel unheard, misunderstood or misrepresented? If so, be patient, pray, don’t become like the one who makes you feel undone. Ask the Lord what He wants you to learn. As you experience a crucible of sadness, seek quiet but honest introspection. Ask the Spirit to burn away the unnecessary and leave only what’s necessary for Christ’s purposes. By faith you learn to scale the mountain of God’s will in the valley of death to self. Humility listens and learns.
 
By God’s grace, seek to speak the truth with patient, defenseless clarity. Integrity has nothing to prove, only to lean into its proven track record of submission to Jesus. Chronic, non verbal passivity only compounds a communication break down. Instead, courageously practice saying what you feel like the young people say: "Say it with your chest!!". Always remember that an unheard heart must express its deep desire for an honest hearing. God always hears you.
 
Our Prayer:  Lord, thank You for hearing our heart so we have the boldness to share our heart amen.

--
 
Pastor Todd A. Brown
New Mount Zion Baptist Church
The greatest ability is availability

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