It Hurts to Listen Well
I hear your soul, friend.
Honest
Raw.
I am witness to the miracle
Fragile
Rare.
Like that fox last week
Emerging from the brambles
Stopping
Staring
Inviting connection.
Your soul
Came out of hiding
Timidly approaching
Mine
Is she safe?
Words pushed out like birth
Startled
By the sound
Of your soul’s primal
Cry.
Your truth is painful
Bloody
Wailing.
My soul explodes with anguish
Listening
To your hurt.
It tries to run away
Yet I resolve
To stay with you
Here
In the discomfort
Of listening well.
Your sorrow
Becomes mine.
I remain still
Silent
This is not my time
To be heard.
It is yours,
Precious
Brave
Soul.
I will be present
To your pain
Beloved
Friend.
We will hold this space
Reverent
Sacred
Silent.
He moves
Within the space
We hold.
He loves
You.
He will heal
The hurt
As you talk
And I listen.
Thank you
Beloved friend.
Thank You
Beloved Savior.
It hurts
To listen
Well.
Jesus heals
When we risk
The pain
Of listening.
-by Audrey Frank
Lord who is ever-present, make me Your listener and Your instrument of healing in a wounded world. Amen.
Photo by Dan Russon on Unsplash
The Conversation
Powerful post. We live in a world where listeners are few. Thank you for listening to me, when we met that one time. 🤍💔🙏🏻
We thank God for listening to our sighing and the anguish of our heart. Say to me ‘I am your Salvation.’ Psalm 35
It was an honor to listen, dear sister. May we all listen and hear not only each other, but the voice of Jesus speaking through the sorrow and the joy.