A word for when we don’t feel like listening to God

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A word for when we don’t feel like listening to God

June 1, 2011 by John Knight

There are times we feel so weary and disheartened that we don’t feel up for listening. But whatever the particulars, our essential problem is deafness to God’s voice. We become absorbed in the world of our own experiences, thoughts, feelings, and opinions. The early church used a wonderful phrase to capture the essential inward turning nature of sinfulness: curvitas in se. We curve in on ourselves. Sin’s curvitas in se pointedly turns away from God. When you or others suffer, you experience or witness the strength of this incurving tendency. It’s hard not to be self-preoccupied.

God willingly keeps talking. Listen to how near he sounds in this hymn (How Firm a Foundation). The Lifegiver willingly gives ears to hear. The incurving can be reversed. Psalms cry out rather than turning in. Jesus is a most excellent teacher. In the extremity of his agony, there was no curvitas in se. He heard God’s voice and remembered. He turned towards God in neediness, generosity, and trust: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing. Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” He turned towards people in practical love: “Today you will be with me in paradise. Behold your son. Behold your mother.” He gave voice to honest experience of his ordeal: “I am thirsty. It is ﬁnished.”

This is the Jesus to whom we have ﬂed for refuge. This most careful and thoughtful of listeners walked ahead of us. He deals gently with our ignorance and waywardness. He now willingly walks with us, fully aware of our temptations to be forgetful, distracted, and inattentive. He addresses the biggest problem ﬁrst. That’s why this hymn speaks in the ﬁrst person. The words of new life ﬁrst create ears that listen.

David Powlison, “God’s Grace in Your Sufferings” in Suffering and the Sovereignty of God, edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor, p. 155.

Posted in Quotes | 4 Comments

4 Responses

on June 1, 2011 at 11:01 am | Reply tammie

this is rain on parched ground. thank you.
on June 2, 2011 at 6:51 am | Reply Sharolyn Reynard

likewise with tammie. i unconsciously have been self-absorbed over the past few months and was cut deeply by your insight on turning inward. i have become a monster for efficiency and order and anything that runs astray of what i had planned or pre-ordained was considered annoying and irritating (sadly even making time for friends and unbelievers in need). I justified my actions by telling myself that my time was so valuable and that these people wouldn’t appreciate the time i was giving them anyway. go to someone else who has more time on their hands, was my thought. your comments on turning inward towards self as well as your interview with Piper on your response to your son’s disability seared my heart and left me up til 2am repenting to God for my selfishness, lack of humility and negligence towards HIS Kingdom. I am grateful to you and your family’s testimony of steady and faithful perseverance in the face of what seems to the world to be just “a misfortunate and pitiable situation”. No, you have not accepted that as the answer and have reflected through your faith the beauty and splendor of God as revealed in the beauty of HIS creation of Paul as well as your own renewed and sanctified spirits. What a debtor I am.
on October 16, 2011 at 5:45 pm | Reply meineke coupon

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