06/15/2026
Something we're taught from a young age is to listen. Often times this listen meaning also to obey. Listen to our parents, listen to our teachers, listen to authority, listen to society. I remember from my high school years learning (the hard way) what it means to hear versus listen. I was at an age where I was old enough to run the daily operations at my parents business. At this point dad had taught me just about everything on how to clean seed and I had learned a lot on my own as well. One day he was needed elsewhere and we were in the middle of cleaning seed and he said "do this and then this and after that do this" I was like "ok got it" and he left. Well guess what, I heard what he said but that age old adage of "in one ear and out the other" kicked in. It wasn't 5 minutes after he left I had to call and ask him what he instructed me. I didn't truly listen.
How many times in life are we like this with God? He speaks to us all the time; often in ways we don't expect or don't want Him to. Sometimes he thunders to us and sometimes he speaks softly. But the trick here is actually listening, actually obeying, actually taking His words to heart. I have never audibly heard God speak to me like I hear others say they have. I've come to the conclusion that I likely will never hear Him audibly because he knows that's too easy for me. He knows that I have to hear Him the hard way. He knows I have to work to get His message. And I'm grateful for it. Sometimes bitter about it; I'll plead, can you just tell me exactly what you want me to do?! Thankfully He knows better and doesn't listen to me.
Sometimes we just need to be still. This looks like so many different things in our life these days. There are way too many distractions from so many things that deserve our attention more.
Today, pick something to toss to the wayside so you can be still more and listen more. I promise it'll be worth it.
