Every morning, I get out of bed and gather devotional resources. I read devotions from a variety of authors. I follow a daily Bible chronological Bible reading from a plan that the whole church is working through this year. And I use Journibles to copy daily passages from Proverbs and either Psalms or John. This is my daily routine.
Lately, though, it has become just that: a routine. Something to check off my list. I do glean from it. I do grow from it. But, I’m not digging deeply through it. In fact, I have not even pulled out my blank journal in quite some time.
As I sat down one day last week to start my reading, a question ran through my mind. Was I truly ready to listen? Actively listen? Or was I simply ready to take whatever happened to jump out at me as I read?
Unfortunately, I think the latter came closer to the truth. I was not prepared to dig. I was ready for a snack, not the deeply satisfying meal God desired to offer from His Word.
Immediately, I got up and grabbed my long-neglected journal. Opening it up, I wrote out a confession of my laziness. My negligence. My satisfaction with snacking to take the edge off instead of digging deep to truly fill my hungry soul.
Then I prepared to actively listen, pen in hand.
What does active listening look like for you? What is the difference between snacking and truly dining in your relationship with Christ? Each of us interacts with Him according to the personality He created. So, active listening will look very different for you than it does for me. How do you accomplish it in your life?
I cannot say that the daily lessons have been fantastically different as I have renewed my commitment to actively listen. I don’t know that more has jumped off the page for me. But my spiritual ear is being retrained. My heart and mind are once again hungering for more than a snack. And my excitement for the Word is deepening again.
What about you? Are you ready to listen today?
Not Quite Ordinary 