By Megan Weber
I recently celebrated entering my 40s in an unforgettable way — I experienced the thrill of trapezing. It wasn’t just about the adrenaline rush of swinging high above the ground or the momentary fear of letting go. It was a divine invitation to practice trust: to release the bar and believe the catcher would be there — or at least trust the safety net below. The whole experience became a vivid metaphor for spiritual formation, where faith calls us to let go and trust the unseen hands of grace.
From the start, it was everything I hoped for and more. The adventure began with a quick, five-minute overview of instructions and commands. Each skill had to be executed in a precise flow before advancing to the most exciting part: the catch. As a former gymnast, I found myself leaning on muscle memory. I could perform the skills but struggled with the seamless flow required to progress.
Then, my coach on the ladder reminded me of a critical command: “legs up.” She encouraged me to stop reacting to the false momentum of the swing and instead focus on the voice of the coach below. The moment I began to wait for his voice — rather than relying on the false momentum of the swing — the flow came naturally. Suddenly, I was ready for the catch.
Lean in and Listen
Isn’t this how it often is in our spiritual lives, especially in prayer and ministry? How often do we rely on our muscle memory — our habits, routines, or past experiences — when God invites us to lean in and listen for His voice? Both His written (logos) and spoken (rhema) Word guide us, but it takes intentionality to hear and obey. Jeremiah 33:3 says: “Call to me, and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”
What if our ears became the womb for a movement of God?
What if, in setting aside our reliance on past momentum, we tuned our hearts to hear His voice in the secret place? Could we discern His guidance for the needs of our community, the words of encouragement, or the people we are called to invest in — even when it defies human logic?
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“In this sacred act of waiting, we may be gifted by the Spirit of God instructions and revelations only available from the One who sees the end from the beginning.”
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A New Year’s Invitation
Perhaps this is the invitation for 2025: to step away from the false momentum of “we’ve always done it this way” and instead make room to hear God’s voice afresh. What if we approached the coming year with desperation — not for activity or achievement, but to incline our ears to the Spirit who knows all things?
What if in the year of 2025 listening prayer is a form of groundbreaking prayer that the Lord is inviting us into: individually, as churches, church planters, and as a denomination?
In this sacred act of waiting, we may be gifted by the Spirit of God instructions and revelations only available from the One who sees the end from the beginning.
What if God desires to develop our hunger and disrupt our apathy? What if true prayer has no polished words but groans of longing? Are we willing to carry those groans, to steward them faithfully?
Maybe it’s time to create groan rooms and listening rooms in our prayer spaces, places where we allow God to break our hearts for what breaks His. What if the next great outpouring of God is just a groan away?
As we tune our hearts to His, may we hear not only His call but also the cries of those He is already coming alongside. Let us join Him in His redemptive work, led by the Spirit, who is our ever-present Paraclete.
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Rev. Megan Weber has spent the past 15 years living and working among Arabic speakers, first in the Middle East and then in Dearborn, Michigan. Most recently, she facilitated the launch of Jiran Collective, a citywide, multilingual and multigenerational fellowship in Dearborn. This past summer, Megan and her family moved to the Pacific Northwest, where she serves with Mission Igniter, mobilizing prayer and spiritual care.
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