Conversations are important because they build relationships. You can say they're like windows that give us a glimpse of what's inside the other person, but more often than not, it's not that easy to take a peek at the window, much more have a closer look.
You see, conversations--the good ones--require a common ground. To be more precise... a certain familiarity! how many times have you said “sorry” for disturbing someone because you thought they were finished with what they were saying when in fact they aren't? Or how about blasting the wrong comments because you immediately jumped to conclusion without validating if you understood what the other said correctly?
I was watching a talk show a while ago, and the host who always carries a good conversation with the rest of the anchors was suddenly committing a lot of “sorry... please go on” moments with someone she doesn't usually interview. Good conversations are built on knowledge of the other person, the subject and a continuous effort to expel saliva.
But you also need to have a clear communication line. Imagine yourself talking over the phone that just keeps giving that buzz sound. It's awkward to keep asking, “what was that you said?” or “could you repeat that, please?” In those cases, bulk of the conversation are repetitions of those words instead of sending across real messages.
Or how about delays in transmission--when you thought the other person was finished but he's not? I've seen that too many times. The usual results are either a long silent pause, or an overlap of soundwaves.
It's the same with God. We have to build our foundations if we want to have a good exchange with God. We need to build a certain familiarity with Him to be comfortable talking with Him. Otherwise we'd end up having one person silent or having the conversation one-sided.
We also need to make sure the lines are clear. We need to make sure no distractions are present. We need to be dedicated to our conversation. Otherwise we'd just end up not understanding God.
How do we go about building the foundations for an awesome chit-chat experience with God? First, we need to know Him. Read, listen and reflect! Read the Bible and what His sincere followers write. That will give you more than enough to understand God and have something to talk about. And since there are infinitely vast to learn, you'll never run out.
We need to make sure we can focus on God when we talk with God. Make sure we are sensitive enough to hear and understand when He speaks. This can be done by having the proper disposition. Let's make sure we understand how important conversing with God is. Let's do it because we want to connect, and not just because we'll feel bad not doing it. Otherwise, it just might end up as empty talk for you. That will make the conversation boring for you.
Most importantly... keep practicing! Relationships are built by regular and continuous experiences of each other. The more you pray, the more you'll understand. The more comfortable you'll be, the more you'll give and get... the more you and God can experience each other!
The more you look, the more you hear... the more hooked you'll be! So stop wasting your time reading this... pray already!
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