Meaningful Conversation

The first time I heard an explanation of a “meaningful conversation” was when I heard Gary Smalley define it in one of his seminars.  Gary said that one day while speaking to his wife, she blurted out that they didn’t have any meaningful conversations anymore.  In that moment, Gary said that he understood what she meant.  A meaningful conversation with his wife was a conversation that was meaningful to her.

This definition is very helpful to me in my relationship with others and especially with God.  Up until that time, I used to pray and think that I had meaningful conversations with God.  However, after this explanation, I began to think, “Does God think we have meaningful conversations?”

In prayer, I am the one doing the talking, and as I speak to God, I often do not anticipate a quick response, much less an audible one.  Since I am not “listening” for an immediate answer, I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m not having a conversation, much less a meaningful one with God.  However, meaningful conversations are very important to the intimacy of a relationship.

When two people are engaged in conversation, one person speaks and the other listens.  Participants take turns as they respond to each other.  God listens to us, but He also wants us to listen to Him.  Apparently God doesn’t like monologues (Matthew 6:7).  God wants us to know what His Kingdom is like, learn His Kingdom’s language, and ultimately know Him, the King (Matthew 6:33).

Consider these questions: Why do we pray, “LORD, be with me (or us)?”  Hasn’t God said something about this?  Based on what He has already said, what do you think God’s thinking when we speak this prayer?  What can we do to make our prayers more meaningful, which will produce intimacy?

We draw closer to God when we “dialogue” with God on the basis of His Word.  When we hear what God has to say and understand it, that moment will not only be meaningful, but our want to inform Him of our situation diminishes.  Instead, we should not be at all surprised if our desire to tell Him of our predicament is replaced with the desire to regularly come alongside the Psalmist and:

 …Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; [offering thanksgiving] to Him and [praising] His name.

For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.  —Psalms 100:3-4