I'm Listening

As I drove in my car, the song I was listening to changed, so I quickly looked down at my radio to see what song was on. The words "I'm listening" were there, that was the song. But those words seemed so powerful. It was like someone was speaking them to me, not reminding me they were listening, but rather reminding me to listen. I read the words in my head "I'm listening" and I remember thinking right after that... I am. And this peace just washed over me. I was at rest being READY to listen to what God had/has for me. But then I was thinking... how often am I ready to listen? I'm always ready to pray, but what about taking a moment to just listen? To rest. To incline my ear to what He has to say, to open His Word and see what He has to say? I'd like to say it's often, but let's be real, it isn't. I can always listen more, especially to God. I get so caught up in telling Him about my day I forget to listen to the lessons He had for me in that day. In the moments that are hard, frustrating, or complicated, I get so caught up in expressing my frustration, sometimes I can forget to thank Him, or to seek out what He's trying to teach me. I want to get into the habit of saying "God, I'm listening." As I have been re-reading the old testament, I watch Moses and see Him interact with God and LISTEN well to His guidance, because He knows God is trustworthy. Noah listens despite rejection. There are so many people who show how to listen to God, they may not be perfect at it, but neither am I :)

One of my absolute favorite stories in the Bible is when God tells Moses to go save the Israelites and rescue them out of Egypt and Moses questions his own skill. Yet he still goes because God reminds Moses of what kind of God he serves. I imagine Moses going, probably with some apprehensiveness, but I love the fact that HE STILL GOES! He listens even when it's hard or it goes against his plans, He knows listening to God is greater! What things in life have you stopped seeking advice from God with? What areas have you closed off your ears and stopped listening? He speaks. The problem is we expect this loud, bright, big sign telling us what we need. Most of the time... It won't be in a big, loud sign. There's a reason we are told to BE STILL and know that He is God... (Ps 46:10). When we are still, we can hear so much better. We cannot hear as well with all these other things drowning out the One true voice we need to hear. When all these other things of life are clamoring for our attention, dragging us into all these commitments of things to do, we don't have time to slow down, to rest, and to LISTEN. The devil will make you busy. Because this will take away your time with God and place it into other things (mostly worldly things). So when your busy make sure you MAKE time to slow down and spend time with God. Ask Him to open your heart and your ears to listen, learn, and hear what He's teaching, what He wants you to do, and where He's taking you. You need to be ready to listen and that includes possibly accepting an answer, direction, or calling you don't necessarily like. Be ready to listen, even when it's hard to accept the answer. There's a peace in knowing you're listened to (which I think God partially reminded me of in my car), but there's also a peace in knowing you're being spoken to! When you're spoken to, it shows even more how much that person cares, listened, and they have ANSWERS. I want His answers, even when it's an answer I don't prefer, His answers are better.

God, I'm listening.