Practice Listening 

James 1:22 “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”

My friend had told me a few times to take my car in to get an alignment. I didn’t listen and because I lacked listening skills, I had a bigger issue on my hands. I had a cracked rim, leading to flat tires, simply because I didn’t get the alignment months ago. Sometimes, listening can save us trouble later. I tend to struggle with listening because deep in my brain, I think I know better. I tend to lean toward relying on my own knowledge instead of inviting someone else’s. 

“Listen carefully.”  I have heard this phrase repeatedly in my head during one of my prayer times. I have heard it so much that it is seared into my memory. The Holy Spirit began to highlight an area that I have not mastered. He wasn’t condemning me by no means, but He was setting the tone for the next couple of years. He had provided instructions into the next season. These instructions were to help me walk out the next season successfully. But in order to follow these instructions, I had to listen to them. 

In James 1:22, it tells us, “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” There are two parts to listening. The first is opening our ears, paying attention to what is being said. The second part is doing what is being said. The next verse tells us if we listen to the word but we don’t obey it, it is compared to someone who looks in the mirror, walks away, and forgets what you look like! We apply the Word, obeying all that God has asked so it is retained in us. God has gifted His Word to help guide us on our paths successfully. 

I believe some of us hear God and hear what He is speaking, whether through His Word, other believers, or His still small voice. But how many of us take what He speaks and apply it to our lives? I know God presented these instructions for me to follow, but for a moment I was not applying those instructions. I was half listening because I wasn’t maintaining the second part, doing what He had said. And because I wasn’t listening, I ended up creating a bigger issue, just like my car. 

God provides us instruction to help us avoid trouble later. I learned my lesson and decided to not only hear the instructions but obey the instructions. Who knows what obstacles I was able to avoid, but I can say I am walking this path more successfully. Not perfectly, but there has been fruit produced. You can certainly do the same. Let’s make the decision today to follow the two part prompt: listen and obey!