Hearing His Voice #267

[Jesus said,] “Pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.”

Luke 8:18

Many Christians are frustrated with how difficult it is for them to hear God’s voice. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why. Jesus promised that if we listen well—meaning not only to hear the words but also respond to them faithfully—we will hear more. If we don’t, we’ll end up confused and directionless, wandering in the aftermath of having neglected God’s previous instructions.

That may seem harsh, but when we realize how much revelation it will open up before us, it’s liberating. Jesus doesn’t mean, of course, that we have to go back and figure out every time we neglected a word from God, or that we must obey every instruction in the Bible perfectly before God will speak to us again. If that were the case, no one would ever hear Him. But we should look for major choices we have made in the past in which we ignored His counsel, as well as any patterns of neglect in the things He has taught. It makes no sense to treat biblical teaching casually while pleading with Him to give us personal direction. He wants us to be fully engaged in His Word before we ask Him for specific words for today.

If you want a greater capacity to recognize God’s voice, this is the best place to start. Pay attention to how you hear. Make sure you are pursuing the instructions in His Word to the best of your knowledge and ability while you seek direction for specific situations. If you listen to His teaching, He will give you more understanding. That’s a promise.

Jesus, You know how much I want more understanding. If I have neglected Your teaching in any way, I turn back toward You and ask You to restore my spirit to a position of understanding and growth. Open my heart to hear—and follow—everything You say.