Are you really listening

Listen to advice and accept discipline; then you, too, will become wise. People might make many plans, but what the Lord says is what will happen. (Proverbs 19:20-21)

One of the most difficult things for some of us is this idea of actually listening when God speaks. We go through life thinking we aren't hearing anything from God, but in actuality, we are just not heading what we hear. Many times this is because God is trying to get us back on track as we have allowed some amount of compromise to creep into our lives. The message isn't easy to hear, so we wonder if it is his voice. God never shamed us, that is the voice of Satan. He never runs us down. He will give us clear warning not to proceed with a certain course of action, or to lay down one we have been engaging in that hasn't been the wisest choice for us. 

What happens when we don't listen when God speaks? We might find that his voice seems to get harder to hear, but in truth, we have just drawn further away. Our ear isn't exactly in "listening range". The moment we take notice of his voice being a little harder to hear is the exact moment we need to stop and press in to listen closer. We give all manner of excuses for not being able to stop to listen, but if we are honest, stopping is exactly what is necessary. When we really want to hear, don't we still our environment? It helps us tune into what we hope to hear. Whenever I think I hear someone about to leave a delivery, I mute the music and listen for their approach to the front door. Why? I am expecting something. Sometimes we don't really hear God's voice because we aren't expecting to!

His plan is for us to ask, but more importantly for us to listen when he answers. To listen means we get close and pay attention. Why do the sheep hear his voice? They have spent enough time together to really know each other well. God knows our tendencies just as well as the shepherd knows those of his sheep. He works with those tendencies, but there will come a time when he will need his sheep to listen even when there are lots of distractions to the contrary. God is speaking, but are we really listening. Just asking!