Houston, I have a Problem

Life is made up of relationships.  I have an intense relationship with my husband, an unconditional relationship my children, a relationship of love and need with my parents, I have relationships with friends that I wish I saw more and some people that I wish I saw less of.  I have relationships with teachers, instructors, doctors, grocers, painters and other professionals.  Yet there is one relationship that I'm embarrassed to admit is not what I'd like it to be.

My relationship with God. 

Frankly it is pretty one-sided.  I sure do talk to Him a lot, but I do not listen.  I do not pause and wait to hear His voice.  I pray, I cry out, I thank Him but rarely do I stop and wait to hear his response.

But I know this is not the place I want to be.  This is not a place of peace or all that our relationship can be.  I want to not only talk to God, but I want him to answer me.  I want him to guide me.  I want to be just as engaged in this relationship as I am with any other.  Perhaps even more.

So I've begun trying to work on being quiet, of just listening, hearing what he has to say.  I ask him his thoughts on a subject, should I do this or that, or I open my Bible and ask him what I should read.  And guess what?  There is a quiet voice whispering back to me, not always, not about everything, but that's okay.  I know God is bringing me through something and he sometimes he needs to tell me something and sometimes he needs me to figure it out in some other way.