HOW DO I SOMETIMES FAIL TO HEAR GOD WHEN HE SPEAKS? (JER.22:21)
JEREMIAH REPEATEDLY REMINDED HIS PEOPLE THAT WHILE GOD HAS BEEN SPEAKING TO THEM, THEY DID NOT HEAR."I SPOKE IN YOUR PROSPERITY" THE LORD DECLARED THOUGH THE PROPHET, "BUT YOU SAID, 'I WILL NOT HEAR'. THIS HAS BEEN YOUR MANNER FROM THE YOUTH, THAT YOU DID NOT OBEY MY VOICE" ( JER.22:21)
WE OFTEN HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM; THE LORD MAY BE SPEAKING TO US, BUT WE DON' T HEAR HIM. WHY DO SO MANY OF US FAIL TO HEAR WHAT GOD IS SAYING?
ONE SIGNIFIGANT OBSTACLE IS THAT WE OFTEN CONSIDER THE ACT OF LISTENING TO BE A PASSIVE EXPERIENCE-WE ASSUME WE CAN SIMPLY SIT AND ABSORB WHAT IS BEING SAID. GOOD LISTENING, HOWEVER,IS AN ACTIVE ENDEAVOR, INVOVING BOTH ATTITUDE AND ACTION.
WE WILL HAVE DIFFICULTY LISTENING IF WE COME TO GOD WITH UN CERTAINTLY, DOUGHTING THAT HE IS GOING TO SPEAK. INSTEAD, WE ARE TO APPROACH GOD CONFENDENTAILY AND EXPANTALY, ANTICIPATING THAT HE WILL COMMUNICATE WITH US. SUCH AN ATTITUDE EXPRESSES OUR FAITH AND DEMONSTRAITES THAT WE BELEIVE HIS PROMISES.
THE BIBLE INTSRUCTS US," BE STILL, AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD "(PS.46:10). TO HEAR GOD WE MUST COME QUIETLY TO HIM AND ALLOW HIM TO DO THE TALKING. WHILE THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH KEEPING A PRAYER LIST, A DEVOTIONAL TIME OUGHT TO INCLUDE MORE THAN JUST A LITANY OF REQUESTS. WE SHOULD TAKE TIME TO HEAR WHAT GOD SAYS TO US.
WE MUST APPROACH TH ELORD WITH A PATIENCE (PS.46:10). WHILE NONE OF US ENJOYS WAITING, GOD WILL NOT TELL US EVERTHING AT ONCE. SOMTIMES HE WITHOLDS INFORMATION UNTIL WE ARE PREPARED TO LISTEN.
WE MUST ALSO LISTEN ACTIVELY. COLOSSIANS 3:16 SAYS, "LET THE WORD OF CHRIST DWELL IN YOU RICHLY IN ALL WISDOM.'' IN OTHER WORDS, THE TRUTH OF GOD'S WORD IS TO DEEPLY AND ABUNDANTLY OVERFLOW IN US. THAT HAPPENS WHEN WE READ AND MEDITATE ON SCRIPTURE.
REMEMBER TO ALSO LISTEN HUMBLY AND SUBMISSIVELY. WE DEPENDED ABSOLUTLY UPON THE HOLY SPIRIT TO REVEAL GOD'S TRUTH TO US ( JOHN 14:26 )! APART FROM THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT, WE ARE HELPLESS TO HEAR FROM GOD - WHETHER HE SPEAKS THROUGH SCRIPTURE, CIRCUMSTANCES, PRAYER, OR OTHER PEOPLE. ONLY THE SPIRIT ENABLES US TO HEAR.
SO WHEN GOD SPEAKS TO YOU, LISTEN ATTENTIVELY AND PREPARE TO SUBMIT TO WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU. OBEDIENCE PLEASES YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER AND HE DESIRES TO BLESS YOU FOR LISTENING WELL.
