How God’s Listening Skills Differ From Ours
We pray and He listens. He never puts us on hold while He takes another person’s request. He never asks us to contact Him at a more convenient time.
Listening well is a skill. How easy it is, when in the middle of a conversation, to allow our focus to be drawn other places.
Know what I mean?
Our cell phone rings or beeps a text message. We can’t ignore it. After all, it might be an emergency!
Our mental to-do list grows: email so-and so, buy a birthday gift for that someone special, pay the Visa bill.
Our worries about a personal issue we thought we’d settled long ago rear their head. Again.
Listening differs from hearing
Listening to someone is different than hearing him. For instance, I can hear my husband tell me about his day but that doesn’t mean I’m listening to him. As he talks to me, my mind might be on a recent writing assignment or on a grandchild’s latest cute saying, or on what I should fix for supper.
I can look my husband in the eye as he speaks to me, and I can smile and nod as though agreeing with what he’s saying, but my mind might be a million miles away. I’m hearing him, but I’m not listening to him.
God’s never too busy
God not only hears us when we call to Him; He listens.
Aren’t you glad God’s listening skills far surpass ours? Imagine—He carries mega concerns on His shoulders but He’s never too busy or preoccupied to give us His undivided attention.
“In my desperation I prayed, and the LORD listened; he saved me from all my troubles,” says Psalm 34:6.
We pray and He listens, fully engaged. He never puts us on hold while He takes another person’s request. He never mutes us. He never asks us to contact Him at a more convenient time. He’s ready to listen the moment He hears our voice. Knowing this ought to fill us with confidence to approach Him at any time with any matter than concerns us.
How about you?
What’s on your mind today, my friend? What’s causing you concern? Tell the Lord all about it.
Imagine Him stooping to listen, looking you square in the eye, and giving you His complete focus.
Know you are loved,
Grace
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