dont't just listen;- listen!

dear God,
people say that sometimes when they are not in the best of circumstances, it helps to just sit and talk to someone. and many times they don't need the advice or finger-pointing or analysis; they just need someone to listen; it helps get the load off their chests. the listener doesn't even have to say anything sometimes, all they have to do is listen. the problem is there aren't many listeners. too many teachers, preachers, counsellors, people talking at you before they listen to you. of course everyone needs encouragement, but it helps to first hear and listen and understand the whole situation and underlying feelings, so that you can receive the wisdom and know the words of encouragement and exhortion to give. that is why i wrote this 'poem'. i put myself in the shoes of someone who really needed a friend to listen to them. if you wanted to to tell someone to listen to you, what would you say...


Listen to me. Listen to me please.
My God would not give you two ears,
He would not give my heart the desire to share,
He would make it such that He were the only one there,
If it was wrong for you to listen to me.

Listen to me! Before you speak, please listen!
I know that I said I’m fine,
But do you hear the hint of sadness in my voice's tone?
I know that I am smiling,
But can’t you hear the walls of my heart breaking?
I know that I am laughing and talking,
But can’t you hear the rhythm of my words?
It rises and falls with the roaring waves in me,
Back and forth,
Rocking away all my peace,
Bringing confusion ashore with the tide.
I know that I am standing tall with confidence,
But do you hear the devil whispering lies in my ear?
Do you hear my house of straw being built on sand?
Do u hear it crashing down in the storm of my circumstance?


If you listen to me carefully, you will hear my heart paining.
If you listen hard, you’ll hear my sorrow shamelessly singing out with glee.
If you listen closely, you will hear my soul sobbing.
If you listen again, you’ll hear my lonely spirit despairing.
If you listen some more, you will hear my life seeking.
If you listen devotedly, you will hear my weak spirit dying.
Listen, can’t you hear it stagnating in complacence?
Can’t you hear my mind worrying?
Can’t you hear my character apathising?
But If you listen with all your heart, you will hear the wisdom of the Lord.
Then you will echo His Word of peace in my life.


If you listen to me, you will not judge me, but you will listen to me.
Then you will judge my circumstance in spirit and in truth.
If you listen to me, you will not advise me but you will listen to me.
Then you may be able to heed to the advice from the Lord.
If you listen to me, you will not interrupt me, but you will listen to me.
Then you will be able to hear me. And you will hear all that is within me.
If you listen to me, you will not ‘correct’ me, but you will listen to me.
Then the Lord will discipline me.
If you listen to me, you will not think you already know everything about me. But you will listen to me.
Then you will start to really know me.
You may even begin to understand me.
Maybe you will even help me.
You may even find time to pray for me.
But not if you don’t listen to me.


Don’t just listen to my voice, listen to my heart.
Don’t just listen to my words, listen to my life.
Don’t just listen to my looks, listen to my attitude.
Don’t just listen to my appearance, listen to my body language.
Don’t just listen with you ears, listen with your mind.
Don’t just listen with your schedule, listen with your time.
Listen with your empathy and not with your pride.
Listen with your sympathy and not with your stares and analysis, or cold thoughts.
Don’t listen to me because you should, listen to me because you would.
Don’t just listen in your flesh; listen with the Spirit of the Lord that is within you.
Listen with your silence.
Listen in love.
Listen with understanding, and wisdom.


Be there for me.
I know that you are sitting right next to me, but be there for me.
While you sit next to me, be there for me while you are there.
If I am willing to talk to you, listen to me.
I am not asking you to heal the world,
But to listen to this one soul.
Hear it all.
Maybe then I’ll come out of this hole.
And that will give glory to God.