Tuesday, June 15, 2010

I am not a good listener

I must admit that at times when talking to others,
my mind wanders.

I start thinking about what I want to say next,
or even possibly a completely different subject...

But what I have realized lately is that
I am not a good listener at all when it comes to God.

I am very diligent to have my quiet times.....
I love being in the Word and doing my bible study.....
I have learned to enjoy praying for others and lifting them up...
I am quite good at letting God know my own requests....

....but when it comes to LISTENING, I think I fail.

How can I hear God with all this noise I create around me?

Sometimes, I imagine that He is looking at me and thinking "if she would just be quiet for one minute, she could hear the answer I have for her".

I have been challenged lately in my bible study to write down each night where God has revealed himself to me that day.  At first, I was looking for spectacular ways....and a few did come.  But as the week went on and I felt I didn't see God at all, He revealed to me that the problem was not that He didn't show up.....it was because I was not listening.

Listening takes time.
It takes me being quiet.
It takes me separating myself from the noise around me.
(which most likely means getting up early in the summer before everyone else)
It takes me focusing solely on Him....
....and remaining focused for as long as the conversation goes.
and it means anticipating our conversations!

This is what I am trying to do...
...be a better listener.

I'll let you know how it goes!

10 comments:

Mocha with Linda said...

I can so relate to this. And then when I do sit and listen, my mind starts wandering or I can't tell if it's my own thoughts or God!

Willys and Elizabeth (Lizzie) said...

I am working through the same thing... being still... waiting... listening... it is all a challenge for me.

Thanks for the reminder!

Heather of the EO said...

I love that He is always "talking" in the wind and the sun and in all beautiful things and all painful things. We can hear Him when we see Him, and I love that.

Jill from Killeny Glen said...

GUILTY here of this as well. Thanks for the reminder...I NEED to listen, listen, LISTEN!!

LuAnn said...

thank you ~thank you~ thank you~
I so needed to hear this. Joel told me very lovingly yesterday to please just listen to him with his christian husband advice to me. Sometimes God talks through others and I need to keep my mouth shut and listen too. I have been doing bible readings everyday - attempting to read the bible in a year. I also have wandering problems during this time too.
Pray for total consentration and listen to the Lord.
Thanks again Sara :)

Cathy said...

I struggle with this same thing. It seems my mind will never settle down.

Mimi said...

This post is so timely for me right now. I know I'm not listening & in fact I'm not even seeking Him. I'm just plowing through life's problems being overwhelmed & trying to deal with it myself.

Thanks for this reminder.

Anonymous said...

A few months ago God started asking me to turn off my radio in the car on the way home from work. He doesn't always say something amazing, but like you said, I think he wants us to turn off the noise and be *available* regularly. And I've slowly learned not to have that constant noise going (even if they ARE worship songs...). I mean, I hate how old people have the TV going 24/7 but I have my own sources of constant distraction.

A friend gave me a great "quiet time" chair that I set up in my bedroom. Yesterday I had a few minutes alone in the morning so I just sat there and tried to be still before the Lord. It was so hard! I wanted to start babbling all sorts of prayers. My small group leader is a man who can bow his head and just sit in stillness for like 10 minutes while I fidget and worry about my stomach growling and who knows what else...and I really aspire to wait on the Lord the way he does. I'll pray for you and me, too!

Sara@iSass said...

{GULP}
Yeah, um, listening...
I should do better with that.
(I'm gonna go bury my head for few minutes, it stings too much.)

As always you have a great way of convicting us. Love you for that!

Debbie Petras said...

Oh my gosh Sara, this is what I've been learning lately too. It does take time to sit still and listen during those quiet times. I keep my journal and pen along with my Bible and I jot down lessons I'm learning through this time alone with the Lord.

Btw, thank you for pointing out that I wrote my birthdate as 2010. You were the only one who noticed or at least told me and I'm so glad you did. I changed it. It's kind of like the friend who tells you that you have spinach in your teeth.

Thank you ....


Debbie