I was watching the basketball game on TV. When a commercial came on, I heard my wife ask, “Were you even listening to me?” I thought, “That’s a strange way to start a conversation!”
I find myself treating God that way when he sends people into my life to impart wisdom. At times, I am too focused on what I am doing to listen.
We may have a tendency to cherry-pick the parts of the Bible that support our arguments and conveniently ignore the parts that don’t work in our favor. Paying attention is a more serious version of listening because our intention is to remember and take away something from the conversation for later use.
We must prioritize paying attention to what God has to say especially since he has been saying it for thousands of years and has yet to be proven wrong. We do not want to miss the blessings he has for us.
Going back to the example of my wife, when she is talking to the kids, she might as well say, “Okay, listen up because I am only going to say this 4,792 more times.” Maybe we just have a “paying attention” problem in my house.
God doesn’t mind telling you over and over — hundreds, maybe even thousands of times — that he loves you. He cares for you. And he will never leave you. But, it’s up to you to pay attention, so you do not drift away from him.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for having the patience to keep repeating yourself until we get it right. Please forgive our stubbornness and teach us to pay close attention. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Today's Challenge: Make an effort to really listen to what others are saying to you without formulating a response in your head as they talk. Then, do the same with God. Pray the he will speak to you and then sit quietly silent for a while, pushing your agenda away.
Additional Resource: Need help learning to listen to God? Take a look at this free resource.