When Moms Feel UnseenSample

Step 2: God asks us to share our story.

Throughout Scripture, rather than lecturing, preaching, or ranting about what we’ve done wrong, God often greets us with questions, inviting us into a conversation. In Genesis 16:8, God calls out to Hagar and asks two questions at the heart of spiritual transformation:

Where have you come from?

Where are you going?

Hagar answers the first question—she is running away from her mistress. It is astounding that Hagar told the angel the truth when she had little reason to believe God cared about her. Hagar doesn’t answer the second question, though—perhaps because she doesn’t know where she’s going. She doesn’t know if she’ll survive the journey.

Even though God already knows the answers, God asks questions because they invite us into a relationship. God wants to hear what we have to say and then respond—back and forth, back and forth—until we’re talking with God like a friend.

Even though God welcomes us into conversation, talking with God isn’t always easy. When our story is painful, we may have a hard time talking honestly with God because it’s too hard to face the pain. Other times, we feel ashamed, and sharing leaves us feeling vulnerable. God never demands that we share. We have the power to spurn God’s invitation, and this is what happens with Sarah in Genesis 18.

For thirteen years, Sarah has heard her husband, Hagar, and all the people of her camp call out “Ishmael” over and over—thirteen years of being told that “God hears” and wondering if God hears everyone but her. Now ninety, she overhears Abraham talking with three angels who promise, yet again, that Abraham will have a child through her.

Hearing this, Sarah laughs to herself, believing she is too old to have a child.

But God sees Sarah and hears what’s on her heart even when she’s hidden from plain view. God wants to start an honest conversation with her, inviting her in by asking Abraham why Sarah laughed. But Sarah is afraid and lies about laughing.

And the conversation stops right there.

Too often, like Sarah, we short-circuit our intimacy with God because we are afraid or unwilling to tell God the truth about where we are. The good news is that God is constantly waiting and eager to begin the conversation.

Prayer:

God, I want to talk honestly with you, but sometimes it’s hard. Please give me the courage and stamina to keep talking with you even when I want to hide or give up. Please give me the patience and discernment to hear your replies. Amen.