Can You Hear Me Now?

Do we only hear what we want to hear? Or do we have a zeal for hearing the truth no matter how much we may not want to hear it?

There is an old saying that goes something like, “God created us with two ears and only one mouth so that we could listen twice as much as we talk.” That is definitely some wise advice.

We need to always try to ensure that we are willing and able to hear what someone is trying to tell us before we open our own mouths to speak. However, do we always do that with each other? What about with God?

God’s Word just happens to talk a lot about hearing.

Hearing, they do not hear

I think we are all aware that people can physically hear something with their ears yet still not comprehend or understand what they just heard.

If we stop and think about it, I am sure that we can remember when this has actually happened to us. Have you ever tried to tell someone something as clearly as you possibly could, only to have the person stare at you with a blank look and say, “Huh?” This person most likely physically heard every word you said. He or she just did not understand what you said.

Truly hearing what God is telling us can only happen if we diligently listen to God and if He grants us true understanding through His Spirit working with us.

A warning to listen

The prophet Amos recorded this warning: “‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘that I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD’” (Amos 8:11).

This will be a famine of “hearing” God’s words. In the next verse we read that people will actually be searching for God’s Word. But sometimes, even when people do hear the Word of God, when it is available, they still don’t actually “hear it” or understand it.

Faith by hearing

It is a sad fact that many people seem to be able to hear only what they want to hear. It seems not to matter to them whether they are being told the actual truth or not. As long as whatever is being said goes along with their own beliefs, opinions and feelings, they are content to listen. These people tend to automatically dismiss anything that does not go along with their own ingrained beliefs.

However, there is a real problem in not having a true desire and zeal to hear the truth of God. You see, “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).

So, if we are to have true faith, we must diligently seek to hear and understand the full truth of God’s Word, even if we hear some things that we don’t want to hear.

We can only hear and understand God’s Word by diligently searching through it and trying to discern what God’s will is for us. We also need to be aware that the only way we can have true comprehension of what God is telling us is to pray that God blesses us with His Holy Spirit—which is the only thing that allows that true understanding. This allows us to have true faith that pleases God.

What does this mean to me?

Paul warns of some who will be willing to turn away from the truth and seek after their own desires—their own will—and not God’s (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

One sobering question that Jesus Christ posed is, “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). Since we already know that “faith comes by hearing” (Romans 10:17), we could rephrase Christ’s question and ask ourselves, “When Christ returns, will He really find people willing to hear, understand and follow all of God’s words?”

We must be able to answer “Yes!” We need to have and maintain zeal to hear, listen to and accept what God is telling us through His Word and to dedicate ourselves to following His will for us and to living His way of life.

For more information on how to better study your Bible in order to learn and better understand God’s truth and way of life, check out our Frequently Asked Question “What’s the Best Way to Study the Bible?”

Robert Worsham is a senior documents coordinator for Abbott Laboratories. He lives with his wife, Linda, on a small farm in rural south-central Virginia, and they attend the Roanoke, Virginia, congregation of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association.