Is He Listening???????????

“Argh! Why is he not returning my call?! Why is he hiding himself from me?! I’ve been trying to get him on the phone the whole week through! Is he breaking up with me? Sarah, what should I do?”
“Chill Joyce, maybe he is too busy or something... Hmm...”
“But it gives him no reason not to reply my sms, my calls and my emails right?” *sob sob*
Joyce has been going out with her crush, Jason, for almost two months now. Things started off well and they enjoyed each other’s company, but as time passed by Jason realized that there are some things in Joyce that needed some change. Joyce had a long list of bad habits; not interested in studies, always sleeps early and wakes up late, loves to be a control-freak, couch potato, lazy, messy and the list goes on. So Jason tries to tell Joyce about these unhealthy habits and hoping that she would decide to change but it seems that she is just turning a deaf ear towards him. And he gave up, deciding to have a silent breakup he stopped contacting her. That upset Joyce terribly.
Our cry may not really be the same as that of Joyce’s. Ours goes to God, crying out, “Argh! Why isn’t He answering me?! Why is he hiding Himself from me?! I’ve been trying to get Him on the phone (prayer) all week through and He just doesn’t seem to answer (listen)! Is He forsaking me? Sarah, what should I do?”
Many of us have been crying out to God in our times of troubles, many of us have been praying and asking God for things, many of us have been spiritually dry and praying that God draws near to us, but many of us seem to thing that God is turning a deaf ear towards our cries. We ask, “Where is God?! Is He even listening?! For weeks now I have not heard from Him. God where are you?”
Here’s the truth, the plain truth, get your hearts right and God will listen.

Psalm 66:17-18
I cried out to Him with my mouth; His praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

The word “cherish” in the dictionary means “to treat with affection”. Are you treating with affection the things that are not of God? Are you enjoying the movies that you are not supposed to watch? Are you still using the “flowery” language in school and when away from church? Are you still doing some bad things when no one is watching? Are you still cheating in your exams? Are you still having that grudge and anger towards that guy who took away your girlfriend? Are you still plotting revenge on the girl that went out with your ex-boyfriend? Are you still . . . ? If “yes”, then you are cherishing sin in your heart because God teaches us to love those who hurt us, He teaches us to be honest, He teaches us to watch what is right and what is not, He teaches us to speak to one another with love, He teaches us to love good and do good. Back to the story – Joyce’s boyfriend, Jason, left her because she refused to right her wrongs. She tries and tries to get him on the phone but he doesn’t answer. We are like Joyce, calling and calling God but you know what? God is not like Jason. Jason doesn’t want to pick up Joyce’s calls but God picks up your call each time you pray and He listens to your prayers for He still has hope for you. You know what God loves to listen to? He loves it when you ask in prayer, “God, teach me what is right and help me to walk in Your ways."

1 Kings 2:3
And observe what the Lord God requires: Walk in His ways...

Psalm 66:19-20
But God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer.
Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld His love from me.

God bless all,
Zlwin.