Last week we covered the first step in the “Preparing to Serve” series here. In this post we discussed the crucial importance of opening our hearts prior to serving the Lord.
Today we’re going to look at the second process in preparing ourselves for serving the Lord. Second to opening our hearts is opening our ears, which is important both in our physical and our spiritual lives.
Before we can move forward to serve the Lord in whatever capacity He calls us, we must learn to use the ears that He has given us.We need to listen not only to Him, but also to those that He brings our way throughout our lives.
First, it is imperative that we keep our hearts in tune with Him through prayer and the reading of His Word. Without this connection with the Lord we will be likely be unable to use our ears as we should. In order to serve the Lord with our whole selves we must listen to what He is telling us and teaching us. Taking time each day to spend with Him by reading the Word that He’s given us, and talking with Him through prayer is when we will have the opportunity to stop and listen to what He’s trying to teach us. The question is will we have ears to hear? Will we slow down enough to hear what He is speaking to our hearts?
God speaks with and teaches us not only through His Word and prayer, but also through the Ministers we sit under at church, elder Christians we’re blessed to know and Christian friends that God brings along to walk beside us throughout our lives. Our ears need to be open to what they have to say, for it is through the words God has given them that we are often blessed, inspired and refreshed.
We must be careful for if we only listen to what God is saying, and we don’t do anything with what He’s telling us, then we are not serving the Lord. We are called to be doers of the word, not hearers only. (James 1:22)
Once we are using our ears to listen to what God is speaking to our hearts through His Word, conversations with Him, as well as the words of fellow Christians He sends our way; then we must be sure that we are listening to other people that God bring across our path. The people that He desires us to reach for His glory, so that they may come to know Jesus as their Savior as we do.
When God allows people to cross paths with us, I fully believe that we are placed there for an exact purpose. It isn’t by chance that we meet, God planned for us to meet. Looking at each encounter as God designed will require you to really listen to Him. It is through prayer that you can find out what His will is for you in each relationship. Once again we must be willing to open our ears to hear what God is telling us.
Whomever God may send our way, we need to ensure that our ears are ready to listen. Sometimes a listening ear is all that people need. By taking the time to listen to others we are showing them that they matter, that they are special and those two things can make a world of difference. To the single mom who is holding it together for her kids, for the widowed woman who is all alone, and the orphan who has never felt loved; a listening ear and compassionate heart are worth more than we can imagine!
People say that time is the best gift that we can give anyone. I know that truly the best gift in the world is Christ. Yet, as people, I don’t believe that “time” is the best gift we can give. “Time” just takes up hours in our days, we can just sit in a room with someone and they have our “time”. I think we need to take it a step further. The best gift that we as people can give another person is to be FOCUSED on them when we spend time with them.
The time we have with others needs to be cherished, for God has given it to us. If we just sit around taking up the time and thus waste it, then it is our loss. We won’t necessarily have another opportunity to try again.
Will we listen to those God brought our way today? Will our ears be ready to hear what His will is for each relationship?
I’m praying that our ears will be unplugged, and that they will be ready to hear what a friend longs to say, what God wants to say and what we need to hear.
Such a powerful truth, Misty. Listening is one of those things that most everybody needs to do more of. Thanks for the encouragement that it matters.
Yes, that we would remember God gave us two ears and one mouth more often! Thank you for stoppin by! Blessings!
thank you for your words of insperation
🙂 You’re very welcome! Thank you for stoppin by 🙂
Thank you for sharing this for WholeHearted Wednesdays. It is so important to listen when serving. I find this especially true with my children.
It is so important, but we forget to really listen a lot of times I think. Thanks for stoppin by Judith! Hugs!