There are days when all has finally quieted, that the silence creates the space to finally be still. That stillness can feel anything but silent. This night is one of them nights. Like a tsunami, the rush of unattended matters of the heart, come rushing forth. Questions...prayers, dreams, unknowns still hanging from jagged edges of circumstances, seemingly so uncontrollable. Then, the words, "Be still and know - that I am -God." slowly rise like yeast, permeating the whole of my soul. The stillness, becomes a bit more silent. The sifting through emotions, like flour being sifted for a purpose, seems not as important as...listening.
Listening, when not understood for it's intended purpose, can swell into feelings of wasted time. Nothing accomplished. However, when done often enough, even the smallest moment of time spent listening, can garner jewels of wisdom that carry them days, when it seems there is not a moment of silence to be heard, stillness to be seen.
In a recent conversation, listening, has been a gift of miraculous magnitude. Perspective; one of my best companions, keeps me searching for the healing I long for. It was a conversation of what God didn't do. Could have done, and didn't. It was a conversation revealing a time in which had reconciliation happened then, the relationship could not have gone back to where it came from, but at the same time, would have failed more, going forward. It was a miraculous choice on God's part, to withhold reconciliation. It would be 28 years later, this would even be known, by way of His miraculous reconciliation.
While we open windows every day, it is not every day, we see in them windows; the divine. The supernatural - happening naturally. Risk is always present, in the opening of windows; because we never know what might blow in. Winds rising up from the west, blowing easterly into the moment of our days...can wreak havoc, to our seemingly nicely dusted lives...until we see the dust is only growing thicker. We forget how much of the past, unresolved, has settled on the table of our soul, like dust floating in the air unseen until the rays of sun reveal what is really there in the air. We go along breathing as if nothing is wrong, yet all the while inhaling particle after particle, collecting in our souls. Then...it happens. The unexpected, unannounced, uninvited moments we conveniently turned away from...rush in.
Listening... listening... listening...
In a moment like this, we can listen or we can begin uttering all the reasons why, or how, or what and when, keeps us, and shuts us out of letting such windows open. But how many of them slammed windows, were we slamming the supernatural from naturally happening? How many, "But God"; moments- did we detour for a season, if that?
I'm learning that in the chaos, as the pace of life gets ahead of my heart quicker than I can resolve; that listening is prayer. And prayer is a way for the God of the universe to intimately know me...and I Him. I am learning that He speaks a word to my parched soul, before I ever speak it...and it be my prayer unspoken, that is now answered. I'm learning that listening, gives me perspective that may not change my circumstances, but change my character. I'm learning that listening...can bring healing. I'm learning that listening; is learning. Learning is growing. Growing means there is life inside. Though, when it feels like life, is not inside me; I listen...and I find that yes, it is good to be still. It is good to listen...and in that place...
"Be still and know - that He is - God.
Dawn Shape
Embrace The Dance publishing
copy write 2011
