My prayers have been transformed from a rambling conglomeration of words to moments of silence, listening to what God speaks to my heart. I have realized the value of being in the presence of the Lord instead of always feeling like I have to have something to say, or have the perfect words to express whatever is on my mind.
And so I listen to His heart.
After several years of friendship, while driving on a road trip, a friend commented, “I’m glad we have reached the point in our relationship where we don’t feel like we have to fill the silence with noise. We are comfortable with ourselves, with each other, and with our relationship that it is enough to just be here together.”
I think I have finally reached that point in my communication with God. He has more important things to say than I do. His wisdom is infinitely beyond mine. His thoughts are not my thoughts and His ways are not my ways (Isa. 55:8-9), yet I long for them to be more aligned.
And so I listen to His wisdom.
My desperate expression of needs never reaches the breadth and depth of His provision. The chorus of my prayers, when I am honest with my frustrations, returns to a sentiment of “not my will, but yours be done.” So why don’t I start there?
And so I listen to His will.
It’s not that I have run out of words. I am still a verbose extrovert, eager for an audience. But I have weighed the value of listening, especially to God, and find it of greater worth than my own meager responses.
And so I listen to His voice.
And because I listen, I find that I actually have even more to say—more of His words, more of His Spirit, more of His heart, His desires, and His love.
And so I listen.