The Telephone Conversation
You will agree with me that developing stable relationship requires a lot of hard work. ‘Bipolar manifesto’, an online blog on bipolar disorder, puts it this way, “preserving relationships with people we care about requires sacrifice, effort and understanding from all the involved parties”.
Your ability to communicate effectively will naturally improve your relationships, one way to achieve this is by mastering the art of conversation. Whether, it’s between spouses, peers, siblings, parent-child relationship or our relationship with God, learning to have meaningful conversations is important.
Being in a relationship where the communication lines are severed can be frustrating! I easily related with that feeling recently, when my two phone batteries went dead. I observed that even though I had connected them to power source for charging, both phones were not charging. In an attempt to improvise and find a way around the situation, I went in search of an old phone I had not used in about a year.
While this old phone had the ability to respond to the power source, I did not know it had lost the ability to make meaningful and satisfactory conversations. In my ignorance, I went ahead and recharged this phone with air time and started the business of the day. Half way through the call, I discovered that I could hear the person on the other side, but the person could not hear me!
The routine was “hello? Hello? I can hear you please keep talking…” then the call ends. I kept wishing the person will just keep talking, so I can get the message and respond back in a text message- how erroneous was my thinking! I had to find a more effective way to resolve the issue on ground.
The experience reminded me of those times when I get on my kneels to pray. While talking to God, I sometimes feel he may not be hearing me, so often times I find myself repeating sentences, while waiting expectantly for a word of confirmation, answer or discipline from HIM. Sometimes, I get it, other times I just round up the prayers, still feeling if I pray well next time I might get the answer. Eventually, God provides the answer when I least expected.
Most times, we go into prayer which basically is dialoging with God, with the wrong expectations. God always hears us; the fact that you did not hear him speak back to you does not mean he has not spoken. Unlike me in my telephone experience, he may be saying to you, “Hello child, keep speaking, I can hear your clearly, I understand the cry of your heart, and am committed to sorting things out in your favor”
God speaks to each of us in ways peculiar and unique to us; in ways he knows we can understand. It could be through an audible voice, an event, a conversation, a book, a conflict, an affliction, nature itself, etc. It is your duty to discover how God speaks to you, start by observing how he speaks to you in little things like what dress to wear or whether to go out with an umbrella or not; you will be amazed what you will discover. (Please read Joyce Meyers’ book: Hearing God’s voice).
Dealing with your emotions and managing your relationships will be easier if you can communicate effectively with your support team and with God in prayers, because after all is been said and done He’s the one who understands you inside out and regardless of where you are now , He wants you to be the best that you can be.
Reference
Joyce Meyer- Hearing God’s Voice
Matthew 6:6-8
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, Your word says “when” we pray not “If” we pray. I ask that you will give me grace to always come to you in prayer and faith, convinced that I have a friend in Jesus, Who will always be there for me.
My name is Precious, I was Bi-polar, and I live a full life
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