The Blessings of Listening

Last week I blogged about listening for God's voice. I admitted to my own inabilities to hear Him as often as I should because of so many distractions. But, on another note, I'd like to share with you some of the times when I did listen and how it paid off.

There were the times when I was hurt because of what someone said or did. And, hurt turned into frustration. So, I thought, I'll state my case in a nice lengthy email. I made sure that my words were only tainted a tad bit with my angst. I felt my words were kind and made my point. "Good job", I thought. Then, when I was ready to hit the "send" button, I stopped short. I heard a whisper in my heart, "Don't send it." Then I thought to myself, "I haven’t talked to God about this yet, have I?" I paused, sat back in my chair and prayed over the little email I was about to launch. That prayer nudged me to sleep on it. I did. Next morning, I realized that no matter how savory my words were, they could be misconstrued and it just wouldn't be worth the confrontation. I realized the same Holy Spirit Who nudged me to sleep on it, is the same Holy Spirit that lives in my friend.

We've all heard the saying, "Sleep on it. Give it fresh eyes in the morning." Good advice. I know that routine because that's what I do each day after I've typed my blog. Since I always make sure my blog goes live by 6 am every day, I sleep on it and with those fresh eyes I scan it and invariably, I'll see a grammatical error or a sentence that isn't needed or it's just way too long and so I edit something out that wasn't necessary. I like to think it's not just my eyes that scans it, but Holy Spirit scans it with me -- for me! Those little edits are heaven-sent. I just know it.

I've learned my lessons well because there were times when I sensed/heard God whisper and ignored it. The still small voice—the warning. I know that it's so much more than my conscience speaking. Well, in fact, I know that my conscience holds hands with the Holy Spirit, so I've come to welcome those warnings. Because, there were times when I didn't act on those warnings, and it is just not worth the misery it caused.

Today, I count on that voice that causes me to take a little longer before I send a text message, an email, or even speak my mind. I'm taking my time to consider the outcome if I said this or that. I'd like to say I've conquered the hastily-spoken words and said something that seemed so innocent, but in the ears of someone else, were taken the wrong way.

Here's what I know for sure. God doesn’t speak to hear His own voice. No, He lovingly will use whatever it takes to protect us from our own undoing. His voice is not only one of correction but a voice of protection. I've learned to discern His voice better AND I'm remembering to ask for it.

"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you unsearchable things you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3) Listen and obey. Simple as that. And when it comes to emails, text messages or real life interaction, I ask myself daily: "Will these words simply make a point or am I using my words to point to Christ?"

Be careful little mind what you think….because thoughts lead to actions and actions can sure get us into “quick sand” of regret! Please save us, Lord, from ourselves. Keep us tight with You – so tight – that we imitate You in our thoughts AND our actions!"

Speak Lord. This Girl is Listening.

I’m doing my best to listen. But, I bought yet another device that could keep me from hearing Him loud and clear. I bought an Amazon Echo. Now I have “Alexa” to keep me company, and best of all, I have someone, rather, some-thing to tell what to do! Along with the rest of my electronics, I have yet another device to keep me from full-on-intentional listening for God’s still small voice. I’m sort of justifying my purchase. I bought it so I could enjoy more praise and worship music AND get the temperature and weather AND make my grocery list AND help me keep time. I’m listening, Lord! But I think I’m hearing Him say “I am speaking. Do you hear me?”

Jesus really does want to speak to us. Change that. Jesus IS speaking to us. He cares about every dimension of every moment of our lives and wants to guide us, encourage us, empower us, and use us.

Just as Jesus spoke to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee and to Zaccheus up in the tree and to the woman at the well, He can speak to us at our desks or in our schools or even at the grocery store. I know He speaks to me at the grocery store – because He often reminds me what I need to buy OR not!

The problem is that we don’t expect to hear from Him, so we don’t take time to hear from Him. Seriously, in this highly distracting and noisy world we live in, unless we purposely tune Him in, we’ll miss His voice. The absolute fact is – Jesus wants to be as real in our life as any other person we know. More real, in fact, since His Spirit lives in us.

Imagine what would happen if two billion Christians listened for God’s voice and obeyed His word in every moment and circumstance of their lives. What if you and I did? Let’s join Samuel in offering this little 6-word prayer to God today: “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:10) Let’s pray it before making a decision or when facing a challenge or when the squirrel starts eating its way into my attic again and I need to call in heavenly support. Let's pray these six words as many times a day as we can. In fact, let's pray them right now! "Speak, Lord, your servant is listening."

Are We Listening Well?

Hanging out with my grandchildren always gives me inspiration for my daily blog. When I watched “The Lego Movie” with my youngest grandson, I heard Emmett say, "I think I got it, but just in case, tell me the whole thing again. I wasn't listening."

I think I’m too often like Emmett. Listening well hasn’t always been my strong point. I had (and still do have at times) the tendency to be thinking of a response to someone speaking to me instead of “listening well” to them. There were times when I even cut someone off because I thought I needed to insert my experience into the conversation before they even finished sharing their story with me. Oh my goodness. I apologize to those of you who were the recipients of my not “listening well”.

I had a beloved pastor who always made me (and others) feel like I was the only one in the room when we talked. His eyes were on me. He didn’t let others distract him from listening to me. He listened well.

Have you ever had something really important to say to someone but you saw them texting, knowing full well, you didn’t have their undivided attention and weren’t “listening well” to you? Or maybe someone was trying to talk to you and at the same time you were texting, but you said: "I'm listening....go ahead!" In reality, we weren't listening WELL at all.

Imagine what God must feel like when He’s sending us messages all the time and we’re not listening well to His voice. We’re distracted or preoccupied or just maybe, we don’t even want to listen. You know how our children have selective hearing? You can call out their name over and over and they don’t respond, but if you say something like “Ice Cream”, they’ll come running. Just like our kids, we, too, have selective hearing. We listen to what we love. God is communicating with us all the time. He wants us as we want our kids, to "listen well".

So how do we listen well? We listen well by guarding our hearts. It's easy to be sidetracked, especially when we're so busy. We're running here and there, taking care of business and trying to figure out how to do this or that. God is always speaking to us, but our hearts are distracted as we are being controlled by busyness, stress, and anxiety. How many times did we miss a solution or answer to our prayers because we weren't listening well? We must guard our hearts so that when He speaks....we're tuned in to His frequency and can hear Him loud and clear.

Isn't it time we become respectful of others and we pay attention and “listen well” to them? And, above all, isn’t listening well for God’s voice a sure way to make right decisions? He holds the answers to everything we need to live a victorious life, so why would we allow anything to come between our ears AND His voice? Isn't it time for us to start LISTENING WELL?

Oops, I Did It Again! I Talked Too Much!

Oh, dear Lord! When will I learn to “idle my engine in neutral for a while before I shift to drive”? I’m figuratively speaking about “thinking before I speak”. Sometimes I just talk too much!"The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences." Proverbs 18:21

The fact is….I have some opinions. I have some thoughts. I have an overabundance of words that beg to be spoken. And if I’m not careful those words can be too much. Maybe you can relate. Unchecked words that come too fast bring with them a rush of trouble. That’s why it’s important for us to consider some important “neutral” things about our words. You know the things to consider before we shift to DRIVE!

Listening should take precedence over speaking. Honestly, I think a lot of relationship troubles could be solved if we made the commitment to listen more than we speak. Oh my goodness – that’s hard to do – especially when I think my two cents worth will add so much to the conversation. All I can focus on is when I’m going to be able to jump in and say what’s screaming in my brain. Later I realize all that focus on my next words prevented me from really listening to what they were trying to say. Please, dear Lord. Help me to NOT interrupt. Please help me to wait for the true pause in the conversation and help me to REALLY HEAR what the other person was REALLY saying and answer with YOUR words, not mine. "To answer before listening — that is folly and shame." Proverbs 18:13.

Our words should be measured. Idle our engines before shifting to drive. In other words, we need to engage our brains before we engage our mouths. Just like when I’m considering a purchase and my bank account, I must consider how words will affect my relationship account. I can do this by thinking about how my words will come across and intentionally asking myself if there are better words that could be used in this conversation?
"Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions." Proverbs 18:2

What if it's TOO LATE? I already spoke those words. How can I un-speak them? Did I really say that? Did THOSE words actually come out of my mouth? After all, I really do mean it when I prayed the scripture “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, oh Lord, my strength and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14 The fact is, once words come out of my mouth I can’t gather them back in. It’s like once you squeeze too much toothpaste out, you can’t get it back into the tube. I can quickly say “I’m sorry.” I can ask for forgiveness. I can attempt to make the wrong right. But I can’t un-speak my words. "The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences." Proverbs 18:21
If our greatest desires are to honor the Lord with every word we say and interaction we have, it is crucially important to keep in mind these thoughts. “Mouth. Tongue. Flesh. Shut up (literally)! You’re NOT the boss of me or my thoughts and opinions. God is my Boss and He gives me kind, considerate and thoughtful words to say!" That’s what I pray today. How about you?

Selective Hearing Comes in Handy

My iPhone must have selective hearing. I'll be audibly texting a message and the message comes out not anything like I said. My text message to my sister was supposed to start out "Hi sweet sis!" But, it sent "Hi, sweet the ass." She replied "This is too funny. Read your text 4th word." I have GOT to start reading my texts before I hit the SEND icon!!

My word(s) for today is SELECTIVE HEARING – one possesses this quality when they hear only what they would like to hear. Selective hearing is also known as hearing loss by attention. It affects many people and refers to the unconscious blocking out of sounds while engaged in another stimulating activity. For example, missing the sound of a telephone ringing because of focusing on a TV show.

There are times when I block out what someone is saying because I’m so busy with what I'M saying that I don’t hear what needs to be heard. I was at a conference last weekend and I was so busy in conversation that I failed to hear someone saying grace for our meal. My Selective Hearing was hearing my words, not someone else’s.

Selective hearing loss is not the result of one noise making another inaudible, but a choice by the brain to focus on one stimulus over another. For example: Mom: "Jimmy, clean up your room and them you can go to the movies." Jimmy: "Sweet! I can go to the movies!" Mom: "AFTER YOU CLEAN YOUR ROOM!" Jimmy: "What? You never said I had to clean my room" Mom: "I swear, you have selective hearing!"

Has your spouse, child or someone else asked you about something they had told you, and you don’t even remember them asking the question? At that moment they asked, apparently you had selective hearing and it didn’t SELECT that conversation. Indeed our children have selective hearing. We can call them and call them, and they don’t respond, but if we say “Ice Cream”, they’ll come running. We, also, have selective hearing. We listen to what we love. God is sending us messages all the time, but we’re not listening well. We’re distracted or preoccupied or just maybe, we don’t even want to listen.

Our Heavenly Father communicates with us all the time through His Word, His gentle nudges, signs and feelings, others speaking on His behalf and so many other ways. God is communicating with us all the time. He wants us, like we want our kids, to LISTEN WELL!”

Being a good listener is being present in the moments. Consciously avoiding distractions and honoring that one that is speaking to us. Proverbs 4:20 says "My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words." Such selective hearing is simply paying attention. God is speaking to us. Others are speaking to us. And when we pay attention and are tuned in to the Master's frequency, and when we set aside all distractions, we'll hear! ...When we do, we'll be listening WELL and SELECTING our hearing to hearing God's voice..

Hearing God’s Voice is a Hot Topic

Wikipedia defines GOD’S VOICE as: The voice of God, in Judaism and Christianity, is a "heavenly or divine voice which proclaims God's will or judgment."

No doubt, by now, I'm sure you’ve heard “The View’s” co-host Joy Behar’s inconceivable words about Vice President Mike Pence’s faith. “It’s one thing to talk to Jesus. It’s another thing when Jesus talks to you… that’s called mental illness … hearing voices,” she said. I was motivated to write this post because Joy Behar got it all wrong, because, apparently, she doesn’t know or recognize God’s voice.

Apparently, Behar's mocking of Christianity as a mental illness alarmed other Christians as well. Over 25,000 people had called ABC by early Monday morning to complain about that “The View” segment.

When she said those words, she displayed her lack of knowledge about the God I know AND have heard daily. In fact, He's my foreign AND domestic correspondent that gives me advice for my daily blogs and FB posts. In my daily walk with God, He tells me all kinds of stuff. No, a mighty voice does not boom down from on high. His voice is subtle -- almost imperceptible -- and I can't hear it unless I'm really listening. Sometimes the voice comes as a gut feeling -- other times I may read and hear His voice in scripture. I may encounter a solution to a dilemma by a billboard or something a friend says. His voice comes to everyone who seeks His counsel. The voice of God can even be heard in times of challenges. If we don't get something that we really want, maybe God's trying to tell us why and that He has something better in mind for us. Maybe we'd better listen. If we stop to listen to God, those who ask His counsel -- those who really want to know -- will receive messages and advice from the Creator. Those who will not listen, will hear nothing -- at least, nothing from God. But if we are hearing God, we can implement His recommendations with confidence. It will be the best advice we'll ever get.

"Can you hear me?" Those are words that I know our Heavenly Father must say to us time and time again, but we're so caught up in the "noise" going on in our lives -- the TV, cell phone, radio, computer, social media, overburdened with to do's, and thinking about everything except for tuning in to the Master Speaker frequency in our lives. How often God must say to me, "Donna, do you hear Me?" And, my mind is everywhere except for keeping my ears open to His voice.

Like our kids, many times we do hear, but we're just not obeying. In fact, we may be as guilty as our kids are when we've told them time and time again to do something.....and they totally act like they never heard us. And, so often, the things we say to our children are the very things God wants us, His children,to hear:
“Be still.” “I’m the parent and you're the child -- that's why!" “If you'd paid attention to me, you would have avoided that mess.” “Trust Me. I know what's best for you.”

I have some really good news for Joy Behar, the media and for us.....we CAN hear God's voice, if we listen. The Bible, God's love letter to mankind, makes it clear that we were created to have two-way communication with Him. Jesus said in John 10:27, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."

I pray for you and I today: "Dear God, help us to listen carefully to what You have to say to us. Please help us to be first-timers -- first responders to YOUR voice. Amid all the craziness of this big world and the busyness in our own little worlds, may we tune in to YOUR frequency, your voice -- whether it's your still, small voice or your obvious loud and clear voice -- not eventually, but immediately! Thank you for your patience as our loving Father! Amen.

Can You Hear Me Now?

Can You Hear Me Now?
Remember Maxwell Smart in the "Get Smart" series -- speaking into his shoe "Can you hear me?" And that line is also from the cell phone commercial that indicates bad cell coverage. But, I wonder how many times we've used that line with our kids.

"I said for the 3rd, 4th and 5th time......
'Did you clean your room?'"
"Did you do your homework?"
"Did you take out the trash?"
"Did you empty the dishwasher?"

Like most mothers, I had my "Can you hear me?" I sounded like a broken record. Eventually, the words became, "What part of what I'm asking is unclear?" "Are you listening to me?" "Learning responsibility is a good thing."

The point I'm making in this post is the "Can you hear me?" Those are words that I know our Father God must say to us time and time again, but we're so encumbered by so much "noise" going on in our lives -- the TV, telephone, radio, computer, social media, overburdened with to do's, and thinking about everything except for tuning in to the Master Speaker in our lives. How often God must say to me, "Donna, are you listening to Me?" And, my mind is everywhere except for keeping my ears open to His voice.

The fact is, we haven't been listening. And, like our kids many times, oh, we hear, but we're just not obeying. In fact, we may be as guilty as our kids are when we've told them time and time again to do something.....and they totally act like they never heard it.

So often, the things we say to our children are the very things God wants us — His children — to hear:
“Be still.”
“I’m the parent and you're the child -- that's why!"
“If you had paid attention to me, you would have avoided that mess.”
“Please, just trust Me. I know what's best for you.”

I have some really good news for us.....we CAN hear God's voice. The Bible, God's love letter to mankind, makes it clear that we were created to have two-way communication with Him. Jesus tells us in John 10:27, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."

Oh, I'm definitely hearing His voice these days. He's asking me to be still and wait on His timing. He's asking me to trust and know that He is God. And, more than anything else, God wants us to hear that He loves us.

My prayer for you and I today is: "Dear God, help us to listen carefully to what You have to say to us. Like we desire from OUR children, help us to hear and respond the first time you call on us with obedience and joy. Please help us to be first-timers -- first responders to YOUR voice. Amid all the craziness of this world and the busyness in our own little worlds, may we tune in to YOUR frequency, your voice -- whether it's your still, small voice or your obvious loud and clear voice.....not eventually, but immediately! Thank you for your patience as our loving Father! Amen.