Can we commit to listening as a spiritual practice during Lent?

Oftentimes, it seems like we are too busy or distracted to simply listen. We think we already know the answer as we’ve heard the question many times before.

Just when we “think we have it” we realize we don’t. The answer becomes elusive and we miss the message. In our haste and in our yearning, we look for an immediate answer to move ourselves further along the path.

Our ability to listen, to be relaxed, to be confident, and to be present is not easy. Even though we have a pocket of faith and a pocket of hope, fear and doubt often become our closer companions.

Faith and hope provide us with the confidence that we are on the right path, on the way home. Yet oftentimes, fear and doubt emerge leaving us feeling lost and confused. We wonder if we understood the message, heard it clearly, took the right turn or made the right decision.

While this state of confusion can create doubt, fear, and a feeling of being lost, it can also be a joyful confusion leading us to listen more intently and to see more clearly.

There is an ebb and flow to our spiritual journey. Sometimes we have a deep sense of God’s presence and sometimes we can’t even imagine that God exists.

This struggle is a necessary part of the journey. This struggle is about both faith and hope and fear and doubt.

In this struggle, we can slow down and open ourselves to listening in silence. We may be surprised by what we hear if we commit to listening as a Spiritual Practice.