You show that you are a letter from Christ, … written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of the human heart. Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God.
2nd Corinthians 3:3-4
I’ve been listening more lately. It is a great way to get to know people. When I have turned up the gain on my intent to listen, I found there were a number of people there ready to talk about their lives and their faith with me. (These names are fictitious but the stories are real)
Susie talked about physical and verbal abuse she has been through and about the joy she has these days in treating people with love and respect that she had not received at some points in her life. You can see the peace and freedom, preciously won, in her eye and hear it in her voice.
Mark talked about his parents who as they age are terribly difficult to know how to care for. He talk about how to “honor your Father and Mother” when their patterns are destructive to themselves and to their adult children. Difficult questions indeed. What an honor to watch a man struggled with being faithful in a difficult situation where there are no easy answers. It reminded me of Jesus in the
Patsy talked about the wonder of watching her daughter begin to sparkle with the beginnings of faith. As she sees the strength of believing take root in this young child, the deep satisfaction gives her peace and somehow communicates hope and encouragement, even to me, as I listen.
As I think of these stories shared, I also think of this passage from Second Corinthians 2:3-4. Listening to these friends was very much like being encouraged in faith by the scriptures. In fact, I think these lives, like many books in the New Testament, are letters – written by Christ to any who would hear. These stories of faith are the heart beat of the Living Word, making itself known in our lives.
Something powerful happens when we both share our stories and listen to the stories of others. As a professional Christian counselor I have the priviledge of hearing these types of stories on a daily basis and am amazed at how God using the simple act of listening to change and heal. One of the great challenges in life is to find safe people who will listen to us. I want to encourage those who are struggling to find this type of care to check out The Christian Counseling Resource Directory. Here you can find Christian care-givers in your area, including both lay and professional counselors, as well as Christian support groups that will give you a chance to be heard.
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