Praying and Listening: A Direct Journey to the True Heart of Prayer

Posted on Mar 07, 2024 Topic : Inspirational/Devotional, Men's Christian Living, Women's Christian Living
Posted by : Terry Glaspey

One of the common mistakes we can make about prayer is to think of it primarily as monologue. We tend to mostly think about only our side of the conversation. We spend our time talking to God, letting Him know our needs and desires. Then we close with our amen and go on our way, thinking that once we let Him know what we need that our prayers are done.

That would be fine if praying were like putting a message in a bottle and tossing it into the sea of eternity, where we hope it will reach its destination, though we never know for sure. Instead, we should think of prayer as more like a phone call or a highly engaged email exchange. Two parties are involved. And no real conversation takes place when only one party is doing the speaking. It takes two people to have a conversation, so if our prayer is a conversation, we ought to learn to listen as well as speak. We should not be content with filling the air with our words. We should also attune our ears to listen—for God wants to communicate with us.

All too often I have spent my time in prayer pouring out my heart to God, letting Him know of my needs and desires, of my hurts and doubts, of my confusion and pain. I have confessed my sins and thanked Him for His grace and forgiveness. Then, I have risen from my knees and gone about my business.

But how do you think your spouse or a good friend would feel if you walked up to them, gave them a complete report on the status of your life, told them what you needed from them, and then shook their hand and promptly walked away?

Isn’t that sometimes the way we approach God?

But because God longs to have a relationship with us, prayer is not just a formal exercise, but an experience of real communication. He is not only the God who listens and hears—He is the God who speaks. If we take the time to listen closely, we will sense direction, encouragement, rebuke, guidance, or whatever it may be that He yearns to say to us.

Of course, we are not listening for an audible voice. Instead, we listen for a voice that arises from the quiet depths of the heart. There is nothing weird or scary or strange about learning to listen to God. It is not a matter of “hearing voices” but about becoming attuned to His quiet inner nudgings. It is about the conviction that comes when we quiet all our restless thoughts and worries, tune out the many distractions, and just listen to what God communicates in the deep interior of our souls.

We should take the time to listen, for God has something personal to say to you and to me.