When You Need To Be Heard.

I brush her hair out of the way and draw light circles on her back, just like I did when she was younger, and she sniffles.  "Are you going to listen?" she asks.  "Are you just going to listen?"

I reassure her that I will, in fact, listen.  And I do.  I listen as the words spill and the tears spill and her heart spills right in front of me, and who knew?  Who knew this little one, my baby girl, could hold so much?  

She's thirteen and right in front of me and eventually the sobbing ends, the tears dry, the words quit.  And I ask her if she feels better now.  Tension releases from my shoulders as she nods.  I crack a joke and she laughs and then I kiss her on the forehead and leave her alone because she's thirteen and I'm cramping her style now.

But I begin to wonder how many others in my life simply need to be heard.  How many others are looking at me with a smile plastered on their face, but aching on the inside from the weight of all they carry?  How many, before spilling their hearts, would ask, "Are you going to listen?  Are you just going to listen?"

Because sometimes we just need silence to fill with our hearts.  Sometimes we just need a safe place to land.  Sometimes we just need to be heard.

I have journals and journals and some more journals filled with thoughts and complaints and prayers and heart ramblings, and you know what?  He has heard them all.    And He still loves me, still chooses me, still wants me.  Just like He still loves you, still chooses you, still wants you.  

Share your heart with Him.  Break right in front of Him.  He won't be surprised or terrified by your vulnerability.  In fact, the Bible tells us that God won't reject or despise those with a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 51:17).  Your honesty will move the heart of God.  

If you're waiting to be heard, He's waiting to hear you.  And how awesome is that?

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Day Sixteen.

You can find the rest of the series here.