Thursday Devotional

Waiting and Listening

My dad called me on my cell phone the other day – it was so unusual an event that I stood still in WalMart and focused on his voice while absentmindedly staring at the display items on the end cap in front of me.

Kathryn had seen that I answered my phone but she continued to a checkout lane to take care of our shopping.

That’s how it should be when we are having a conversation with God. He speaks, we listen. We might even pause to focus on His voice. But the people around us continue on. They are right to keep going. We are right to stop and listen.

Many missteps and errors in my own life have taught me the importance of waiting on God. When I would become aware that God was speaking then I wanted everyone in my ‘group’ to stop and listen with me. I wanted my husband to help me follow the Holy Spirit’s nudge within me. In the process, I was ignoring the fact that each person in my life had God directing them too! Inadvertently it looked like I was saying that they could not or would not listen on their own. Whether it was true or not, their attentiveness was between them and God. I was only responsible for me.

Now when I hear God nudging me, I stop and listen. I don’t worry when everyone around me keeps going. He’s got them covered just like He’s taking care of me.

Mark 4:23-25

New Living Translation (NLT)

Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand. Then he added,

 “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more.

To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given.

But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.”

Dear Lord, please give me the strength to close my mind to distractions and to keep my heart cleaned out and my mind on You. Help me to resist the fear of what others might think of me. I truly desire Your direction for my life. Please give me ears to hear so that I can follow You each day. In Your precious name, amen.

Written By Mary M. Wilkins