LISTENING DEEPLY– PART II

“In repentance and rest you shall be saved. In quietness and trust shall be your strength.” Isaiah 30:15

Last month I invited us to take some time and ask ourselves what the phrase Listen deeply means to each one of us. Recently, a friend reached out to share their experience with the phrase, and asked me to share mine. First of all, I am profoundly grateful to have friends in my life who want to engage in these types of conversations. A true gift from God. Shortly after that conversation, another friend shared that after reading the blog, she was going to make Listen her word for 2021. These conversations caused me to reflect more on what this phrase means to me at this point in my life. I plan to make Listen deeply my word for 2021. This blogpost is a response to my friends prompting me to go deeper with this phrase.

My starting point is my strong belief that there is always more than meets the eye in any experience. I pray to expect and live from this belief. I know there is a difference between ordinary everyday seeing and listening and the searching, penetrating vision that comes when God opens our hearts. We can then listen deeply with our hearts. We can ask God to stir into flame our awareness of the Divine presence in and around us as we say, “Come Holy Spirit.” We then live aware, open, and expectant. 2020 has allowed many of us the time and space for this type of intentional living—listening and seeing. We are able to stay awhile in each moment.

“God and silence are great friends. We need to listen to God, because it’s not what we say, but what God says to us and through us that matters.”
Mother Theresa

In addition to this gift of time and space, I can allow God to make more room in my heart by cleaning out the things that keep me from closer union with the Divine. Personally, I incorporate a daily examen in my life. I sit before God and allow the Holy Spirit to show me those things that block me from God and from others. My experience is that when we go to God with an open mind and heart, God is faithful to gently heal our wounds and revive our hearts. Spending time with God truly does make us more like Jesus who is, above all, meek and humble of heart. I can shed some of my skin that does not serve me or help others.

“Live simply under the loving direction of the Spirit of God.”
John of the Cross

Over time, this practice is changing me. I now long for God’s loving embrace to be my dwelling place. I know that the Lord is always near. God’s light always dispels the darkness in me. No one knows me like God does.  I am drawn to a further letting go of the things of this world—to simply let life happen. This attitude helps me lay down my own agenda and listen deeply to the God who is in everyone and everything.  For me, the phrase less of me and more of God is becoming none of me and ALL of God.

Listening deeply requires that I maintain a posture of resting and receiving rather than engaging in frenzied activity or attempting to control—a person or situation. I can be patient with myself, with others, and with life. I loosen my sure hold on what I think I know. I listen to learn rather than to judge. Criticism can be a distraction that keeps me from getting to know God and myself. I recently read that we cannot criticize even interiorly without detriment to our own soul. A thought that sobers me. I believe that we all have toxins in our lives that need to be released—whether that’s drinking, drugs, or disordered attachments to others, or other unhealthy attachments. This type of letting go makes space for the Divine to enter in, to surprise us with God’s goodness. It enables deep listening.

Thinking of my word for 2020, I see that I have been able to savor more of life— to experience life’s awe and wonder, and not just at Christmas time. God is so attentive to me. I want to be attentive to God.  I recently felt God give me the phrase,

“Cherry, you have no idea!!”

I want to reflect more on what God is saying through these words. For now, they keep me humble, reminding me that I know only a little. Yet, I’m filled with excitement, expectant of what is to come from God—more than I can hope for or imagine. I have no idea!

“I did not ask for success; I asked for wonder. And You gave it to me.”
 Rabbi Abraham Joshua Herschel

Lately, I have experienced times where I feel that I am more fully present to the moment.  I just sink in and let the wave of life carry me along. This seems to be a fruit of listening deeply. Another new fruit of this type of listening is the awareness that the critical voice, that unfortunately still comes to visit me from time to time, IS NOT GOD’S VOICE. God’s ways are slow, gentle, tender, and loving. They draw me closer rather than cause me to retreat in fear.  When I hear the critical voice, I can simply run to God for help. God can sort it all out for me.

I pray that I can have more of these awarenesses as I continue on this path of deep listening. God promises to share Divine wisdom with us—God’s secrets. A wise person can step back, wait, listen deeply, and be patient.  Wait for God to move.  Look to God alone as a dear faithful friend.  Then relax and stay awhile in the moment.

“Call to me and I will answer you; I will tell you great secrets of which you know nothing.” Ezekiel 33:3

Here’s to more deep listening in 2021.