What did we do before MP3 players and headphones? Road trips and quiet times at home would not be the same without them. Each of my children gets to listen to their choice of songs or stories independently. No more “But I want to listen to Veggie Tales again for the 47th time!”

However, there is a down side. I don’t like to give instructions only to be met with this…

Sometimes my daughter plops herself down at the kitchen bar stool while I’m cooking dinner and starts talking to me like this. I mean she’s cute and all, but she can’t really participate in a conversation with me!

I see it at the grocery store. People with invisible earbuds walking around, talking hands-free on the phone.

We can be so connected – yet miss so much.

Sometimes my kids walk around with headphones in their ears and they miss my instructions, my call to dinner,”time to get ready”, or the words “I love you” all due to the fact they’re listening to something else.

I didn’t know God would convict me as I discipline my kids. Sometimes I’m so busy with my daily stuff to hear God whisper to me.

“I love you Julie”

“Slow down….come rest with me awhile”

“I see you worried about that. Come to me”

“Listen, Julie, I need you to listen and depend on me right now”

“Trust me”

“I see you”

“Lets look at the plank in your eye before we talk about your friend’s speck of dust.”

I could hear so many more precious words from my Savior when I take off the headphones of my plans and incline my ear to him.

I have to intentionally block out (take the headphones off) the whirlwind around me to hear my Savior’s Words to me. I have to draw near to His chest, even lay my ear against Him to hear His heartbeat. Otherwise, the clatter of the day’s noise drowns it out.

Sometimes it’s in the shower that I finally hear Him speak. Sometimes it’s on a jog. Sometimes it’s first thing in the morning or through a dream. Sometimes it’s as I’m talking a friend through difficult stuff or disciplining my child. He humbles me so I’ll get over myself – thinking I can do this life on my own and trust completely in Him.

Then, I hear His words voice imposed over my own.

“You are precious and honored in my sight and I love you”

“Even though you walk through the fire, you will not be burned.”

“It will not sweep over you.”

If I will listen…He tells me even when I’m not listening…it just takes longer for me to realize it. Just like my kids. I tell them dinner’s ready, that’s the fact, the variable is whether they heard it. Either way, dinner is still ready. Listen now, get hot dinner; ignore me, get cold dinner and you get to re-heat it!

God is the fact. He does not change like the shifting shadows. He knows how and when to speak so I will listen. But sometimes it means I have to take off the headphones and say “I’m sorry Lord, I’ve been listening to everyone else but you. Please tell me again. What did you say?

I’m praying for you, friends, that you will hear His voice.

Thank you to this site for the feature image. I did resize it for my blog.