I ask this as I am hopefully coming to the end of a bit of ear trouble - some discomfort and reduced hearing - but don’t worry folks i think it’s all clearing up!
This has caused me to think about our hearing and our spiritual ears, and leads me to ask - how well are you hearing God?
Many people talk to God, ask God, thank God, grumble to God, but how many of us are hearing God too? An important part of prayer is listening, an important part of the Christian life is to understand what God wishes us to do in different circumstances - how can we do that unless we spend time discovering what it is God is saying? We can listen to God’s voice in different ways; prayer, reading the Bible, listening to preaching, obeying the Spirit (sometimes the internal prompt that nudges is to/not to do something), advice from wise, Godly people, prophecy. There are a multitude of ways we can hear God, sometimes the channels between God speaking and us hearing can get blocked - just like my actual ears got blocked, mine were blocked with wax (gross!), it could of been an infection, or even a physical blockage. Just like with our physical ears, our spiritual ears can get infected, waxy and blocked.
Just like ear wax is meant to protect our ears, too much of a good thing can be bad for you (like in my case!). There are also spiritual routines and behaviours that are good for us like Bible Reading, prayer, giving, but they can get in the way of your relationship with God. By this I mean that although they are healthy practices, they can become mundane and ritualistic, for example; going to church because it’s a Sunday, giving 10% of your income because that’s what is advised to do and not questioning or valuing the purpose of those things. Why do you go to church? Is it a Sunday ritual or because you want to hear from God? Invest in His people? Be a part of the Earth’s version of the kingdom of God? How about, why do you give? Do you give generously? Do you give with purpose?
I think the overall question about all of the routines and practices of the Christian life is; Do these practices actually change you? Do you approach these services with an open heart and mind that allows God to intervene? Are you open to letting God do something different? Are you ready to be challenged and changed when you go to church? Give? Read? Pray?
Do you actively listen to what God says during these times and act on it? Or do you feel that because you’ve had half an hour of ‘God-time’ today that you’ve done your bit, you’ve checked that job off the list?
These aspects of being a Christian are not an essential to do list, they are good for you, but are you allowing the natural Christian practices become a barrier to hearing from God by just doing them as if they are a chore? They are a privilege of being in God’s family. The fact that we can have God’s very words at our fingertips through Bible apps and iTunes means we have easy access, but are your heart and mind in it? Are you prepared to hear?
Sometimes our ears get infected, it can start as a little boggle and then before you know it - full blown infections with all the funk and discomfort that it brings. Sometimes our spiritual ears can become infected too.this can happen if we are hearing things we shouldn’t.
Are you exposing yourself to things you know you shouldn’t? Whether it be; an obsession, addiction, problem, habit or even just a preference. Sometimes I like to watch TV series, and I can quite like it and get into it and perhaps it gets a bit violent or risky, but I’ve got into it and become fond of the characters so it’s easy to keep watching because I want to find it what goes on next, then I can end up thinking “I hope ..... doesn’t walk in whilst I’m watching this”. That’s the danger zone. If you don’t want others to see what you’re doing then maybe you’re doing something that’s infecting you. I have stopped watching things and even stopped listening to some kinds of music because now the lyrics make me feel a bit uncomfortable even though I quite like the style of the song. It’s not that it would have the same effect on everyone, but in your heart and mind it does not feel quite right, and if it’s not right for you, don’t do it. Take a few minutes to assess what you’re listening to, is there something you know God has been encouraging you to get out of?
If your ears are infected with things you know you shouldn’t be hearing then you are allowing those things to crowd out the voice of God. Your ability to hear His voice will weaken.
Another way we can have our hearing impaired is a physical blockage like a foreign object in your ears. Something that has blocked your ability to hear through being a physical obstacle. Spiritually, this could be that extreme circumstances have impaired your connection with God. It could be that you’re overrun by the emotions of; a disaster, changed circumstances, bereavement, marriage, family, job situation, wealth, poverty or many other reasons.
When our circumstances change, we change then our priorities can shift and we respond out of any number of emotions. We can focus on the immediate and whatever is facing us in those moments, we can be mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted by situations and can feel overrun and overwhelmed. We can naturally lean on our own resources rather that courageously leaning only into God’s. I think we do this because we know what little we can do - at least we know, we can control our own input, yet when we give it to God - who knows what He can do or will do?! It’s a frightening place to be. We can react out of impulse, we become confused and weary. What’s the answer? Well, sometimes we have to get our heads down and get through it, it will be difficult but it will reform your character, always we should trust God. We should humbly let him know how we are doing and decide to trust Him to do what needs to be done, even if your circumstances get worse, it’ll be for your better because that’s what God promises - He always works for the good of those who love Him, we just don’t always know or see what’s good for us especially in the long run. So, don’t let your circumstances carry you away emotionally, don’t put the obstacle in the way of you and God. He’s still there whether you hear Him or not, lean in and trust. Talk and pray.
So, how do you feel now you e had a little hearing check? Are your ears blocked? Or are things becoming clearer? Maybe you need the help of others to help you (just like I did).
Keep your hearing healthy - keep your channels clear, clear our the junk and always trust God.
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