Listening

Have I been listening?
Really listening?
Listening to the voices of the weak, of the oppressed, of those in need?
or, have I been listening to myself?
to my needs, my wants, my hopes, my future?

we need to learn to truly listen to God,
to listen with our eyes,
however that may look for you.
listening comes from practice, not from a flower sprung overnight.

to truly want to listen comes from the Perfect One above.
for he is the prime giver of patience and a heart that longs to see a caring friend comforted.

for if we listen with our ears,
and investigate with our eyes,
we may find beauty hidden beaneath the soil.

Strength vs. Weakness

2nd Corinthians 12:9, 10

"But he [God] said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness...For when I am weak, then I am strong."

why don't we allow ourselves to become weak in order to see the sun?
in order to be raised higher?
in order to learn something of value?

is it because we are afraid of falling?
is it because we are afraid of change?
are we nervous about making a mistake and yielding the results of it?
are we uncertain about the circumstances that lie ahead, anxious about how to tackle them, and worried that the end result may not turn out exactly as we had hoped?

are we truly afraid of change, that we may lose something precious that we once had?

weakness requires one to give up something for another person (or, for something else).

to be ready, willing, and able.
what if we tried this for a day? submission; the very thing that God helps us to do everyday.

it is his grace that provides substance, everlasting fulfillment, and complete joy..
his grace is sufficient enough to provide all that we need.

Doors

"When God closes a door, he opens another."

That's a phrase I've heard so many times and most recently from a friend of mine. God's capabilities are unlimited and endless. He has a way of drawing people close to him and bringing those same people together for the good of his mission: seeing his children live as followers of the "truth".

Closing doors paves the way for opening promises.

Promises of a bright blue sky adorned with a a garnish of clouds, the reminder of God's love in a friend's smile, the beauty of nature beckoning for attention, grazing the fingertips of the wind everyday. The doors are endless. Constantly opening and closing.

Let's not think of a door closing as the end of an undeveloped dream but the birth of a seed more beautiful and precious than the last. Take this dream in your hands and nurse it to health. Witness all of the miraculous wonders and always remember that God is on your side today, tomorrow, and forever.