Listening Skills

There are two types of listening skills.  The one we use to listen to natural communication between people and the one we use to listen to God.  There are clearly similarities within these listening skills but to think because I am good listener with people then I ought to be a good listener with God.  That does not work that way.  There are a couple of assumptions I want to make before I address how we can become better listeners with God.  First, God is speaking and trying to communicate with us and His church.  It is not a matter of whether or not God is speaking or not but whether or not I am choosing to listen or not.  Second, God uses a variety of methods to communicate to us and if we focus only on one way of listening we can miss what God is trying to say to us.  God is not trying to keep anything from us but we are not always in the best place to be able to listen well.  Here are five things that I believe will help us to listen well.  First, pray before you try to listen.  This means to pray for listening ears before you read His Word.  Pray before and during any attempt to listen to the Spirit.  Second, it take being disciplined and consistent.  Within a marriage the ability to listen well is to talk much and often with the desire to truly hear the other person.  Somehow we think we ought to listen to God once a week or whenever there is felt need.  God is speaking to us throughout the day which means we need to listen to Him throughout the day.  Third, the enemy is going to do everything he can to keep us from listening.  This is often where the distraction, hindrances, busyness and other things arise that keep us from truly listening.  Unless we are aware of this battle we can come to the conclusion that God is no longer interested in us and is now silent in the midst of my need.  This is never true but we must plead the blood and resist the enemy so we can hear the voice of God.  Fourth, realize that God speaks through His Word, still small voice, through circumstances and many other ways.  This means that I must be open to hear from God however He wants to talk to me.  Fifth, remember it is never about us but it is all about God and His message.  God speaks so we will know what to obey and do that will bring about His plan and purpose.  It is about knowing and living out the will of God for our lives.
May the Great Communicator of all life help us to listen well to His voice.

Pastor John