God Really Listens

Job's friends told him to shut up. Just shut up. Every word you say in your own defense is an act of rebellion because God has already judged you guilty and destroyed your life for it. At this point, Job, you're just proving God right to be upset with you. You're a rebellious little punk, an obstinate little brat, and God doesn't even care about your rambling. 

Do you ever feel like Job's friends might be onto something? Like God really doesn't want to listen to you any more, if He ever did in the first place? Like all your talking, all your praying, is just rebellion? It's just proving Him right the more you try to defend yourself against the brokenness in your own life. 

It's a common feeling, even among Christians. Even among mature Christians who are, we confess, still human. 

But it's a lie. 

God loves to listen to you. He loves to hear you tell your story...because He knows that when you do, you're also telling His story, and He loves to hear you tell His story, too. 

He loves to listen to you because it's not a one-way relationship. He's not some disengaged, detached authority imposing His Will on a non-participatory people; He wants you in on this. He wants you to be a full part of what He's doing, and that means you have to be having an ongoing conversation. And conversation requires not just speaking, but listening...by both parties. 

You know what? I'm gonna say it. I think God would approve of me saying it. So here goes: 

I think God likes listening to you even when you're actually being a rebellious little punk or an obstinate little brat. I think God always cares about your rambling. 

Do you have kids? Do you love listening to them talk about their video games all day? Do you enjoy listening to their excuses or the way they defend themselves when they've done something wrong? 

Okay, but do you love that they're still talking to you?

In a world in which they hold the entire world at their fingertips, at least they're still talking to you. I cannot think of a single parent I have ever spoken with who has not been thrilled that their kid still wants to talk to them, that their kid will still talk to them, no matter what age they're going through. 

God is this way. He may not love your video games or your excuses or your brattiness or your obstinance or your rebellion, but He's listening anyway. Because He loves when you talk to Him. 

Job knew this. 

That's why when Job's friends told him that God doesn't care and doesn't want to hear it and isn't interested in Job's side of the story, Job said plainly, Would He oppose me merely with His great power? Surely not! Surely, He would show me the respect of listening to my argument.

Surely, Job says, God is listening to me. Of that, I am sure. 

You can be sure, too. So talk away. 

God really listens to you. (Job 23:6)