The older I get, the more I appreciate the sense of hearing. Because I’m losing it. I find myself turning up the TV volume, the stereo in the car, and the ringer on my phone. I mishear my kids when they are talking to me and have to ask them to repeat themselves. My youngest son speaks very softly anyway, so the poor kid gets frustrated when I respond with “What?” more than twice to the same statement.
The sad state of nature is that hearing fades with age. A woman over 40 just can’t hear the frequencies she used to hear when she was 15. Her senses have dulled and deteriorated.
But when it comes to spiritual listening, maturity can be an asset. For the last few years, I have been striving to tune my spiritual ears to recognize the still small voice that so often gets drowned out by the busy noise of life. It has been an ongoing effort. Sometimes I feel like I am making progress only to experiences seasons of clogged ears. Hearing the voice of God is difficult. Distinguishing His voice from my own thoughts is a challenge that requires a spiritual discernment I am still developing.
One of the activities that has helped hone my listening skills the most in recent years is writing. I pray over my writing daily, and I know that without His guidance, I would fall flat on my face. I need God’s creative power, because my own supply of creativity is pitifully small. I’m a left-brained, analytical thinker, not a naturally creative type. I don’t have dozens of ideas floating around in my head like many authors do. I find one idea, and I hold onto it with both hands until it grows into a viable manuscript.
I mentioned in my last post about how I have resolved to read more this year. The non-fiction book I decided to start my year off with is Whisper by Mark Batterson. It is focused on helping readers learn to tune their spiritual ears to the still small voice of God. I’m still in the opening chapters since I’m only reading for a few minutes each day over breakfast, but he’s already placed two key ideas in front of me that have made a big impact.
This first is the idea that God whispers to us because he wants to draw us close. If you whispers to someone, they have to come close in order to hear what you are saying. God craves intimacy with us, so while there are times when he speak in loud and obvious ways, the majority of the time he speaks, it is in a whisper that we will miss unless we are leaning in.
The second idea is the one that made the biggest impact on me. It is simple. From a story I’ve read countless times during Bible study. Yet it jumped off the page to me, and I’ve decided to make it my theme verse for 2019 – my daily prayer.
“Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”
1 Samuel 3 describes the boy Samuel under the tutelage of the priest, Eli. The chapter opens with the phrase: “The word of the Lord was rare in those days.” We are blessed with the written Word of God, but sometimes I think that with all those noise of social media, TV, family activities, work, and general busyness, that the word of the Lord is rare in these days as well. Or maybe it’s just that “ears that hear” are rare. So, to combat the noise, we must cultivate a spirit of listening.
I’ve never really had a theme verse for the year, but I’m selecting 1 Samuel 3:10 as my theme verse for 2019. I want to train my spiritual ears to hear whatever the Lord has to say to me. I need him for my writing, but I need him even more for my life.
Do you have a theme verse for 2019?
Do you have any strategies for discerning the voice of God you’re willing to share? (I believe that God speaks to us in ways unique to us as individuals, so we don’t all hear in the same way, but I also believe that we can learn from each other, and I’m eager to do so.)
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I love this. Thank you.
You’re welcome, Marti. We’re all on this journey of faith together.
Hi Karen, I don’t know how other people think, but I think of my thoughts as ticker tape running through my mind. A constant flow of words and thoughts I can almost visualize with my minds eye. When I pray or study God’s word I dwell on it through out the day, and it is than that God will drop a word of wisdom or a piece of scripture in the middle of my mind flow. It is not consistent with my thoughts so it disrupts the flow so I notice it. Sometimes I think God has dropped a sentence several times before I notice it, He can be persistent if it is really important for me to know!Especially if I’m Worried about something or trying to work something out.
I love that analogy, Pam! Look for what disrupts the flow. Great idea! And I so hear you on occasionally needing multiple nudges. Sometimes I think God must feel like my youngest son when I keep asking “What?” or just not hearing Him at all. How frustrating that must be. Praise God for his patience and never-ending love.
Beautiful post, Karen. Thanks so much for the book recommendation!
You’re welcome, Dani. I hope it is a blessing to you.
I read WHISPER last year. A really good book. It’s one I highly recommend as a reminder for mature Christians and a primer for newer believers.
Thanks, Robin. That’s great to hear from someone who’s read the book in its entirety. 🙂
Hi Karen, my word for 2019 is Listen, so I loved reading your thoughts today. Thanks for recommending Whisper. I remember Robin said she liked that book too. I will put it on my list to read soon. Thanks too for the reminder to pray over my writing every day!
Hi, Carrie. Listen is a great word for the year! I think that whether we use it in a spiritual context or even just in a human relationship context, listening is so important, and a skill that our society often ignores.
“Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Yes! Love this. I’m using the Read Scripture app to guide my daily Bible reading so that I’ll complete the Bible in just over a year. In Genesis, it’s striking how many times God’s people answer when He calls with, “Here I am.” I want to be ready and listening so that I can immediately respond with, “Here I am,” when He says my name.
Yes! That’s it’s exactly. I’ve been praying a lot lately for ears to hear when he calls, a heart to discern his message, and the courage to take action and follow where he leads.
The ladies in our church just started Priscilla Shirer’s study Discerning the Voice of God. Chapter 1 challenged us to realize that obedience is the key to both receiving blessings and keeping the line of communication open with God. Last night a guest pastor from war torn front line Ukraine preached on hearing God and doing what He tells you to do. There is a definite pattern forming here, as in God is telling us to learn to hear, listen and take action. Thank you for your very timely message, Karen. I love your books. Thank you for hearing God and using the gifts He has given you,
Hi, Rose. What great reminders! I remember going through Priscilla Shirer’s study several years ago. It was a good one. Maybe I should dig out that study guide to review. I’m always amazed how those on the front lines seem to have ears that hear God so clearly. What a comfort and a source of courage!
As someone who has dealt with hearing impairment since I was very small, I cannot help but encourage you to have a screening done, asap, with a licensed audiologist. When someone once asked activist Helen Keller if she’d rather have her hearing back or her sight, she responded that she’d choose her hearing, because while a loss of sight disconnects one to THINGS, a loss of hearing disconnects one to PEOPLE. Hearing loss can be incredibly isolating, and shouldn’t you be able to hear your son? That being said, I’ll admit to some small gains in the loss. It is only too easy for me to go hours without the aids and bask in quiet. I can distance myself from all the noise and technology of daily life. It helps my writing, it calms my soul, the words flow, and that’s good. (I’m sure this wasn’t the kind of response you were expecting to this post, but hearing really is precious. Thank you for your understanding.)
Thank you, Janice. I so appreciate your concern. As someone who has been involved in music all my life, I treasure my hearing. I probably should get a screening. Thank you for the nudge. I take comfort in the fact that my husband’s hearing seems to be declining about the rate same as mine, so I’m pretty sure it is just the natural aging process and not anything beyond that. However, I definitely want to preserve what I have.
Karen,
Hearing has also been on my mind this year. At 65, my hearing is definitely not as good, having to turn up the TV and radio, especially with air conditioning on. I actually went for a hearing test, showing my hearing is down under the normal range, not really enough for a hearing aid, but a test yearly is recommended for me .But your comments about listening closer to the voice of the Spirit hit a chord with me. I am trying, but perhaps, I need to specifically tell the Lord that his servant is listening more often. Thank you.
You’re welcome, Susan. I think we all can work on our listening skills. 🙂
I don’t usually listen to God as well as I should. Be if a person or situation comes to mind I do try to be faithful to pray. It feels good to be able to help people in that way.
I’m part of the prayer ministry in my church, and have been feeling for a while now that prayer is more than just talking, more than just putting our petitions to God – that it is a two way street and that we should take time in our prayer time to listen as well as speak. Thanks so much for this post, very timely and needed for me as well as for our ministry. You never know how far your words may reach – to Heaven and back.