Center Point FBC

God, Can Your Hear Me Now?

We read the quote “God, can you hear me now,” and we’re reminded of times we prayed from weakness, doubt, or pain for God to hear us. It’s an act of a heart choosing hope over silence, and faith over fear. We step into a promise echoed in the scriptures: “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them…” (Psalm 34:17 NIV).

But what if that is God speaking instead of us? What if God is calling on us to hear him? Yes, the Psalms are full of David’s call for God to hear him, but there are powerful moments in the Psalms where God flips the script and says, “Oh, that my people would listen to me…” (Psalm 81:13 ESV).

God’s promises guarantee God hears us, but the question is: do we hear God? We move so fast that even our prayers start to sound quick, rushed, squeezed between obligations. When we don’t slow down, we miss the gentle nudges, the quiet convictions, the whispered reassurances that come only to a listening heart. God isn’t silent; we’re just loud.

In this message, you will learn to quiet your mind, center your heart, and engage with spiritual disciplines to better hear God

Choose Self-Compassion, Not Self-Criticism

Do you have an inner critical voice? One that often replays mistakes, magnifies flaws, and undermines your self-worth. Do you ever beat yourself up physically—a bad hair day or your body image, or “I’m ugly”? Or do you beat yourself up emotionally—you make a mistake, and you say to yourself, “I always mess up,” “I’ll never get it right”, or “What’s wrong with me?”

While self-criticism can sometimes be mistaken for motivation, research suggests that it often undermines our emotional well-being. In contrast, self-compassion represents something fundamentally different. Self-compassion is the ability to accept, understand, love, and be kind to oneself. In the midst of trouble, failure, or deep regret, it is the tool God gave us to continue running this race called life.

The Bible instructs us to "clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience" (Colossians 3:12 NIV). That compassionate and kind attitude should be aimed both within (self-compassion) and outward (compassion).

The truth is God made you and loves you for who you are. You were created in the image of God, and you are someone special. “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well” (Psalm 139:14 ESV).

Living as a child of God means replacing the voice of accusation with the voice of compassion. That doesn’t mean we ignore sin. It means to see yourself the way God does: with truth and grace.

Spiritual Growth Campaign

When Was It Decided Life Was Supposed to Be Easy?

The idea that life is supposed to be easy is an assumption many of us carry without ever examining it. That idea didn’t come from Scripture, history, or God. It came from comfort culture, modern convenience, self help thinking, and the myth that happiness equals the absence of difficulty.

The truth is Life is broken, fragile, and hostile. Any one of us could testify to that fact, and biblical history confirms it. Every major figure in Scripture faced hardship: Joseph was betrayed by his own family, David was hunted by King Saul, Elijah was emotionally exhausted after a great victory, Daniel was tortured for his values, and Paul was shipwrecked, beaten, and imprisoned.

Scripture consistently teaches something deeper: Life isn’t supposed to be easy; it’s supposed to be meaningful. And meaning is forged in struggle, not in ease. Comfort never produces character. Smooth roads never produce strong souls.

What we do have from God is:
• I have Jesus with me. Jesus said, “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20 NIV). Even if you feel alone, you’re not; Jesus is with you.
• I have the Holy Spirit in me. Jesus is with you, and God’s Spirit is within you too. “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4 NKJV).
• I have God’s promises to me. The Bible contains over 7,000 promises that you can rely on. “God keeps every promise he makes. He is like a shield for all who seek his protection” (Proverbs 30:5 GNT).
• I have God’s family around me. When you feel like you’re standing alone, the prayer and support of a church family is vital. “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16 NIV).

Life was never meant to be easy; it was meant to be lived with God, who makes us strong enough for whatever comes. Jesus doesn’t say, “Life will be easy.” He says, “Take heart… I have overcome the world.”