With so many distractions around us it's getting harder to get someone to listen to us all the time. You've probably experienced this while at the store, or at work, and, as difficult as it is to admit, even at home with your own family!
Maybe you're feeling that the problem might lie with you. "Am I not making myself understandable?...clear?...coherent?" "Maybe it's my voice?...delivery?...tone?" Whatever you do don't get stressed about it!
There are a couple of underlying factors involved in any basic conversation. Those two things are: listening and hearing. And no matter if it's your best friend or youngest child, they are either listening to you or hearing you. Sometimes it may seem like neither!
The truth of the matter is that there is a difference between "listening" and "hearing." Listening is a conscious choice that you or I make. It requires concentration, consideration, and thoughtful attention.
Hearing on the other hand, is the act of perceiving sound by ear. We hear lots of things but don't necessarily pay attention (listen) to them all. Both of these come into play in our communication with God, as well.
It's not that uncommon to wonder if God listens to and/or hears us. When I talk and pray to God I like to think that He's giving me His undivided attention. Ok, I'm pretty sure He is, but there's always that little lingering thought in the back of my mind, "What if...?"
Humans, being who they are, like to push the boundaries from time to time. I mean, after all, that's what we do. However, as cool and blood-rushing to the head as this might seem to us, when it comes to interacting with God...well...let's just say it's not a good thing!
This line of thinking didn't work too well with Israel repeatedly in the Old Testament. They got a little too big for their pants and thought they could do just fine without God or His help. That is until they got in trouble for something or other. Then they would call on God, and He would bail them out.
This cycle repeated itself many times. But, as in Isaiah 58, something interesting happened. God didn't pick up the phone. Israel called and called but God wasn't answering. It wasn't that He couldn't "hear" their prayers and pleas for help, He could. God just wasn't "listening" to them.
The people were living a lie and wanted God to go along with it. They wanted their cake and be able to eat it too! On the surface everything looked great, but their old behaviors hadn't changed one bit. Oh, they could try sacrificing all the animals they wanted and follow all of the other rituals, but God wasn't having any more of it.
Because of their hypocrisy God tuned them out. He could "hear" but wasn't "listening." We take for granted that God listens to our prayers, but as we can read in Isaiah 58:3-5 this isn't always the case. None of us should expect God to "listen" to prayers if they are served up by insincere hearts.
John Bunyan, author of The Pilgrim's Progress, said, "In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart." God doesn't expect, nor does He want us to be perfect. He just wants us to be honest and sincere in our communciation with Him (Psalm 65:2).
Don't play games with God. Be straight with Him. Approach Him with a true heart. Look for Him with eagerness. And have a passionate desire to find Him as you would any valuable treasure (Jeremiah 29:12-13).
Scripture: Mark 11:24; John 15:7; Hebrews 11:6; Ephesians 6:18; Psalm 37:4
Prayer: Holy Father, I pray that I may never know a day when I cannot feel your presence with me. I need Your grace, mercy, and love; but most importantly, I need You. Amen
Have a blessed Monday!
Ashleigh
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