Why listen to God?

I often write something along the lines of trying to listen to God.  And things about trying to follow the path God has set for us.

But why?

Why should we do this?

And how?

How does one listen to God?

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Well – the image to the right gives us a clue.

First – STOP!!

Whatever we’re doing  – for example, in no particular order: watching TV, listening to music, playing video games, drinking, doing drugs, dancing, even being in church and paying attention to everything except the One you are supposed to be there for.

Just STOP.

Then – listen.

And God won’t yell.  It’s hard to hear Him over the noise of life.
Unlike what so many people think – God won’t force us to listen to Him.
It’s entirely up to us.

After we stop and listen –

^{Ps 32:8} I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.
^{Ps 32:9} Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.
^{Ps 32:10} Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD’S unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him. 

And that’s what we get when we STOP and listen.  
God will teach us.  And, like any instruction – we’re free to ignore it, no matter how good it is and no matter how much it might benefit us.  
God will counsel us.  And, like any counseling session we might go to with people – we’re free to ignore it, no matter how good the advice is.
And God will watch over us.  If you’d like, you can pretend God’s not watching you – then you can forget His instruction and ignore His good advice.  And convince yourself that it doesn’t matter, because He won’t know what you’re really doing.

Oh yeah – one more thing can be found in those verses from Psalms.

the LORD’S unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him. 

So for those of you who are worried that God might take over your life, fear not!  He won’t!  Because you don’t trust Him.

For the rest of us – 

STOP

listen

trust what we hear.

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Why the sarcasm in this article?

It’s sort of a response to those who seem to be so afraid of what I write.  For those who feel a need to reply with 4 letter words.  For those who have a need to spend so much of their life railing against a God that they obviously don’t believe in.  For those whose comments will never appear here.  A good discussion is one thing.  Outright hatred is quite another.

For the rest – when, not if, you encounter people like that, I try to remember verses like this –

^{Mt 10:11} “Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. ¹² As you enter the home, give it your greeting. ¹³ If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. ¹⁴ If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. ¹⁵ I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. ¹⁶ I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

and like this –

^{Lk 21:12} “But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. ¹³ This will result in your being witnesses to them. ¹⁴ But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. ¹⁵ For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. ¹⁶ You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. ¹⁷ All men will hate you because of me. ¹⁸ But not a hair of your head will perish. ¹⁹ By standing firm you will gain life.

So, stand firm.

STOP

listen

trust.¹

 

Footnotes

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