Have I Been Listening… or Just Preparing to Speak?

One of the easiest traps to fall into as believers is assuming that because we know God’s Word, we are ready to speak for Him.

Knowledge is important. Scripture is essential. But there is something that must come before speaking: listening.

As I was reading through Ezekiel, one verse stopped me in my tracks.

“Then the Spirit entered me when He spoke to me… And He said to me… ‘Go, shut yourself inside your house.’”(Ezekiel 3:24)

What strikes me is that God did not immediately send Ezekiel to speak. He first gave him instructions to receive. Before there was a message for Israel, there was a conversation between God and His servant.

How often do we reverse that order?

We hear a sermon, read a verse, or have a thought, and before we know it we’re ready to teach, correct, encourage, or post something on social media. We have prepared our words long before we’ve truly listened for God’s heart.

Prayer was never meant to be a one-sided conversation.

Many of us approach God with a list. We tell Him what we need, what we think, what we hope He will do, and then we rush into the day. We leave the conversation before He has a chance to speak.

Imagine doing that with a close friend. You call them, spend ten minutes talking without taking a breath, hang up, and then tell everyone you had a wonderful conversation.

That isn’t a conversation.

That’s a monologue.

Sometimes I wonder if God is waiting for us to finish speaking so He can finally be heard.

Throughout Scripture, those whom God used most were first people who learned to listen.

Samuel answered, “Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.”

Mary sat at Jesus’ feet before she ever served Him.

The disciples spent years listening before they were sent into the world.

Even Jesus often withdrew to lonely places to commune with His Father before ministering to the crowds.

The pattern has never changed.

God forms listeners before He sends messengers.

One of the saddest examples in Scripture is found in Job’s friends. For seven days they sat with him in silence. During those seven days, they offered one of the greatest gifts they could have given: their presence.

The trouble began when they started speaking.

They had plenty of opinions.

They had theological arguments.

They had explanations.

But they had not listened to God’s heart concerning Job.

Their words were filled with human reasoning instead of divine compassion.

It is possible to speak truth without speaking God’s heart.

That should humble every one of us.

Perhaps the greatest act of faith is not speaking at all until we have first listened.

Maybe the next word God wants us to share isn’t one we’ve prepared.

Maybe it’s one we haven’t heard yet.

The world does not need more opinions dressed up as spiritual wisdom.

It needs men and women who have lingered long enough in God’s presence that when they finally speak, their words carry His heart.

God doesn’t need better speakers.

He desires better listeners.

Before we rush to speak for Him, perhaps we should ask ourselves if we have first taken time to simply be with Him.

Reflection

Before I speak for God, have I first listened to God?

Much Love

~Gayla~