The hearing of God's Word is a very important part of the life of every Christian, but it is possible to hear and not listen. Often the Word of God, a faithful preacher, a correction or counsel from a faithful brother will come to us but our hearts are not in the place where the Word is. This topic "Hearing but Not Listening To The Word of God" prompted me to think about and reflect on my own life and relationship with God.
The Bible says in James 1:22, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” This scripture illustrates that simply hearing doesn't suffice. One may attend church every week and hear sermons every day, and even be able to quote Scripture, yet deny the commandments of God. True listening is accepting the word with humility and it changes our lives. God doesn't just want our ears, He wants our hearts.
In the past, I have personally encountered this in my life. There was a time I constantly heard messages about prayer and spending time with God. In the school of the deep in my soul, I knew that God wanted me to be more serious spiritually, but I continued to put it off due to distractions and personal interests. I heard the messages, I nodded my head, even agreed with all the said words, but my actions did not change. Then I noticed my spiritual life was weak, I felt empty inside. That experience taught me that it is futile to hear the Word and not act upon it and gain nothing. It hurt obviously because I knew God was talking to me for a long time and I didn't listen to him.
Jesus also addressed this matter in Matthew 13:13, “Why do ye say this within yourselves? 'He uttered a statement in his own name, meaning "Because they hearing hear not; neither do they understand. A person may hear something and may reject it on the spiritual level. We can listen to God in a superficial way because of pride, stubbornness, worldly desires and distractions. At times God says something in his word to correct us but we get defensive instead of changing. This is not a wise thing to do, as the word of God is supposed to lead us into righteousness and eternal life.
Another scripture that spoke to me was Luke 11:28: “Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” The blessing isn't just in hearing it, it's in keeping and following it. When we listen to God, then our lives start to change. As we get more loving, humble, prayerful and willing to do His will.
In a nutshell, I was brought to mind that God longs to be obeyed, not merely heard. I learned that I can be physically close to the word of God and yet at the same time be spiritually distant from it. I pray that I will listen to God's word and listen with a clear heart, that I will obey God's word with all my heart.