Listening Again

Listening Again

Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This Pathway episode from Broadway UMC circles around one deceptively simple theme: listening. The speaker shares ongoing recovery from spiritual and emotional abuse, along with struggles around food, work, control, pornography, alcohol, rage, panic and depression, and ties it all to learning how to be truly heard by God and by other people.

You’ll hear how a renewed relationship with a father (“Talking to my dad these days is so cool… Just to have that clear, have that good, have that love back”) mirrors the idea of a God who isn’t distant, but deeply interested in human “human‑ese.” God is described as one who “wants to be known” and who even “will feel the desires of your heart,” not just hear your words.

A standout part of the episode comes from a conversation with parents raising autistic children, including Allison. Their stories about learning their kids’ unique language lead to a striking parallel: “God doesn’t love us so that he can fix us.” Just as these parents listen to understand their child’s world, not to erase autism, the speaker suggests that God listens because we’re his kids, full stop. The tone is gentle, funny and disarmingly honest.

There’s practical recovery wisdom too: wanting to listen in the first place, learning to “shut up,” slowing down enough to let awkward silences breathe, and using curious, non‑interrogating questions to get beyond surface issues. The difference between listening for information and truly hearing someone’s heart is a recurring theme.

If you’re working through addiction, church hurt, family pain or just trying to be a better friend, this episode offers a warm mix of theology, recovery experience and very down‑to‑earth tips on becoming someone who really hears others. Who might feel safer around you if you slowed down, shut up for a minute, and simply listened for their heart instead of their headlines?