Reading through my bible lately I've noticed something that I don't think I've ever paid much attention to before.
The word, Listen is written over and over and over. "Listen, O people" or "Listen, children" and countless other passages. It's got me thinking less on "waiting" and more on "paying attention to." There's a big difference. I could wait for God to speak to me for the rest of my life, but if I'm not paying any attention then I will miss anything and everything He is trying to say.
Listening to what God is telling us is so very important. There are a few things in life that we just automatically know are wrong. It's embedded into our hearts and has been since the day we were born. But there are times in life when we really don't know which way to go. There are a few paths, and if it were up to us we would pick the easiest one every time.
I've begun thinking about who I listen to or who I go to for advice. If I am just struggling too much with where to go or what to do, I go to my parents. They have known me all my life and know what I need, plus, being Christians as well they can help me discern what God is trying to get through to me (because honestly, sometimes I just need a good knock on the noggin.) Other times I might go to a close friend who I trust to not lead me in a direction that would not be pleasing to God. But what about those times when those people are busy? When I feel I can't bother them...
There are many a number of people we believe we can trust to give sound advice, but the minute they hint for us to go a direction that goes against ANYTHING God has already said, we need to stop. Stop talking, stop listening, stop everything and go to God.
This situation always reminds me of the king in the bible that goes for advice about how to treat his people. He goes to the elders and they tell him "Your father was harsh on the people, treat them with kindness and they will gladly serve you. Then he goes to his peers and asks the same thing, and they say "they will start to rebel if you give them too much freedom. However harsh your father was, you must be even more so! That is the only way you will keep your kingdom." Well, what do you think the king did? He went with the advice of his peers...the story did not end well for him. He not only went to the wrong people for advice, he followed through with the ones who gave him the answer he wanted to hear in the first place! I can't even begin to count the times I have gone to several people for advice, just waiting for someone to tell me to do what I already want to do in my heart. I think if I say they told me it was a good idea then I won't be held totally accountable for my actions....right? Wrong.
I have the freedom to choose who I obey. We can choose the easy rout, the one that our deceitful hearts want to go with, or we can go to those who are wise, maybe someone who has been in that position before; or maybe just someone who God has blessed with wisdom. Joshua says, "Choose you this day whom you will serve, but as for me and my house, WE will serve the Lord."
Who are we choosing to serve?
You might say, "But I've dealt with this problem for years and years and I just can't handle it the right way anymore...this is the best way for everyone. All of my friends are telling me I'm doing the right thing, and they're all good Christian people." What does God's word say about your actions right here, right now? Not looking at the past or future, but right now.
We cannot trust ourselves to make sensible decisions."Well, I just feel like this is the right way to go. I may fail if I go _____ direction." As the song says, "Take it to the Lord in prayer." Just because we feel a certain situation is hopeless and bound never to change, that doesn't mean it cannot or won't. "With God, nothing is impossible."
There have been times when I used the right excuse for the wrong circumstance or reason. I knew God was pointing me in a certain direction, but kept telling people "Well, I'm just praying God will change their hearts." My prayers mean nothing when God has already given me the answer.... it just wasn't the answer I "wanted" so I kept doing my own thing.
There are times to leave and times to stay, times to love and times to hate, times to walk away and times to simply pray....there is a time for everything, but it is ALWAYS the perfect time to listen to God.
When we're struggling, when we have a deep ache or fear of the unknown, take it to God! He has all of the answers; we don't. We just have to be ready to listen, because He very well might tell us an answer we don't like.
We open our heart to those in need, but do we unstop our ears to the Lord's words?
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