God Is Listening
He hears every word, even the ones you’re afraid to say.
Have you ever felt like God wasn’t paying attention? Like life was falling apart and He wasn’t stepping in, no matter how loud you cried out? I’ve been there. Most of us have. And yet, the truth of Scripture (and past history) is that God is listening, even when it doesn’t feel like it.
Job Knew That Feeling Too
Job’s story is one of the most raw and honest accounts in the entire Bible. He lost nearly everything (his children, his health, his livelihood) and then had to sit through the unhelpful advice of friends who were convinced his suffering was his own fault. His wife had already written him off. And still, he kept talking to God.
If you haven’t read through Job’s story before, you can find it in the Old Testament. In previous posts, I’ve walked through the overwhelming calamity he experienced and how, despite all of it, he stayed faithful and submitted to God’s authority.
When Job Let It All Out
Today I want to focus on a stretch of Job’s words that runs from chapter 26 through chapter 31. On the surface, it looks like a response to his friend Bildad’s advice. But there’s something deeper happening. Job is doing what so few of us are willing to do: Getting brutally honest with God.
And why not? He has nothing left to lose, so he lays everything on the table. There’s not need to clean it up or soften it. He just prays. Here’s a piece of what that sounded like:
“I cry out to you, O God, but you do not answer; I stand up, but you merely look at me. You turn on me ruthlessly; with the might of your hand you attack me.” (Job 30:20–21, ESV) [Read Job 30:20–23 on Bible.com]
And a few verses later:
“Surely no one lays a hand on a broken man when he cries for help in his distress… Yet when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, then came darkness.” (Job 30:24–26, ESV) [Read Job 30:24–28 on Bible.com]
As you can see, that’s not a polished prayer. Job’s a man at the end of himself, pouring it all out. And God is listening to every word.
You Don’t Have to Tiptoe Around God
Somewhere along the way, a lot of us picked up the idea that we have to be careful what we say to God. Like one wrong word might send Him over the edge. Even in Western Christianity, there’s sometimes this quiet, mythological fear of offending the Almighty. So, we tend to keep our prayers tidy and our frustrations to ourselves.
But Job blows that idea wide open!
He’s angry and confused. And he’s hurting. So, he says all of it, out loud, directly to God. And what does God do? He listens. God is listening, not just to the clean, faith-filled prayers, but to the messy, honest ones too.
He already knows what’s in your heart, so you might as well say it.
Now, I get it. Maybe you’ve been afraid to tell God how you really feel. Perhaps you’re afraid that voicing your frustration or confusion might cross a line. If you feel that creeping in, remember that He’s your Heavenly Father. And like a good Father, He’s not waiting for you to misstep. He’s waiting for you to open up.
So, don’t be afraid to pour out your heart to Him. Don’t be scared to put your anger, your fear, your confusion, your pain right in front of Him. He can take it…all of it!
Getting Honest in Prayer
Here’s some practical application.
- Find an hour this week to be alone with God.
- Put your phone down, close the tabs, make a cup of something warm, and open your Bible to Job chapters 26 through 31. Read slowly.
- Pay attention to the urgency and the honesty in Job’s words. Let yourself feel the weight of what he’s going through.
- Then pray. And this time, don’t edit yourself.
Tell God what’s been frustrating you about how things are going. Explain to Him where you feel abandoned or overlooked. Highlight the places where it feels like He hasn’t been listening. Walk through every situation and struggle that’s been sitting heavy on your chest.
Let’s face it: He knew all of it before you ever sat down to pray. He’s just waiting for you to bring it to Him. God is listening intently to every word, the way a good Father leans in when his child finally opens up.
Join the Conversation
Answer This Question: What’s one honest thing you’ve been holding back from God, and what would it look like to finally say it?
Great stuff, Jere. I completely agree with your point. However, it is important to distinguish between expressing how you feel and venting to the Lord, from blaming and criticizing His decisions. I think that all too often people can't find the nice in-between zone, where you tell God how you're feeling and why you're feeling that way, without being bitter and thinking that God has done you wrong because He's mad at you. Moderation in all things is best ;). Keep up the good work; I enjoy these postings every week.
This reminds me of David in some of the Psalms where he really does question God and “vent” you could say. It also makes me think of when Jesus asked “Why have you foresaken me?” while on the cross. It makes me wonder if the popular understanding of prayer is far too shallow and list like. Perhaps God wants more of a conversation, wants us to bare our hearts to him, even if what we might say is bitter, or hurt, or ignorant…if we're thinking it, but refusing to pray it, we might as well still be saying it.
🙂
Thanks for the thought provoking stuff.
iC c
Caty & Colby,
My joy is to read your comments following my posts! Thank you SO much for putting thought and challenge into your responses. Caty, you are right. Bitterness that is shot up to God (like up to a father) will not go without correction. Colby, I agree that our prayer lives in western society are much like a grocery list of needs (and wants). Why aren’t we using the brains God gave us to be descriptive in our prayers? Caty, after reading your Leadership Application, I got a glimpse of your writing-mind and I loved it! I want more!?!? Blog sister, blog!!!
Thanks again, Jeremy