As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few. (Ecclesiastes 5:1-2)
Read: Ecclesiastes 4:1-6:12, 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:7, Psalm 47:1-9, Proverbs 22:16
Relate: I am the king of empty promises. I don’t think a single week goes by where at some point or another I am making a commitment to change something or start doing something else or recommit to something I have let fall by the wayside. As a teenager growing up, pretty much every time I went to the altar it was to repent and make a commitment to be more respectful to my parents. Anyone wanna guess how long that lasted? Four times a year, report cards came out. Each time I made a commitment to start getting serious about studying. That was an even shallower promise. It wasn’t until after I graduated college that I finally became a diligent student.
React: Keeping my ears open and my mouth shut is not something I have ever been very good at. Even to this day, it is easier during corporate moments of spiritual intimacy to start singing out whatever the team is playing rather than listen for God’s voice. It is far more comfortable to sing out, “How Great Is Our God” or “I Surrender All” than it is to be bowed under the greatness of His presence or to allow Him to place His finger on areas I need to surrender. Listening might demand the responsibility of a response I might not be willing to make. It is much easier to sing out songs promising devotion than it is to actually be devoted.
Respond:
No words today. Instead of praying a pre-written prayer or creating your own, take fifteen minutes and just listen to what God would say to you.
THE RIVER WALK 
I love reading your post! I’m trying so very hard to “shut up and listen” to hear what God is telling me and trying to kbow and understand that God has a plan, even if I don’t know what it is! God bless!
Beautifully written. Such a powerful truth. James 3 really brings the trouble with the tongue out as well. Lord, help me to listen more! Thanks Beejai
Perfect
Truth. It’s time we listen more and allow God to speak to us.
It’s so hard to just shut up and listen sometimes…
Good reminder! My internal ramblings keep me distracted. My poet friend Dan, encourages us to quiet ourselves to listen to God’s whisper. My therapist helps me with staying in the moment….breathing….spiritual mindfulness. It is only we are quiet can we hear God’s whisper. Thank you for sharing your walk of faith!
Great blog. I am often so busy talking to God I fail to hear His message for me. Excellent reminder to “Shut Up and Listen”! Thanks.
Bull’s eye for me. Listening to God, submitting and obeying God is an area, God is highlighting for me.
Great blog post! I struggle with this area as well. It is hard at times but it is getting easier. As my mentor tells me “you are really one of the few people I know who do this really easy” (what she does not know is how I fight God tooth and nail before I get to that point. Although I really think she does know how hard it is for me). Thankfully, though God is a God of grace and mercy.
Two weeks ago I walked into church and said to Him, You know the drill; I did some stuff … LOL …Great Po0st.
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Your honesty and transparency is refreshing. Thank you. God bless you. A struggle I’m sure many Christians have – me for one.
Oh I’m guilty of always talking. Lord help me listen more.
Let us learn the art of being still and knowing that He is God! Then let that still small voice boom in our ears and rock the foundations of our lives!
Your take on this field and your posts are beautiful.
Thank you for sharing!
That is so me, too! EVERY SINGLE REPORT CARD! “Talks too much in class.” And “She’s not living up to her potential.” What I’m learning at 54 is that 1) I engage with others by talking. If I’m not talking WITH you, I’m really not listening. And 2) I absolutely hate silence because too often it meant my mother was unhappy with me. And that was NEVER a good thing! Often, it led to a really long rant about how useless and stupid I was or about two days of being completely ignored. I agree it’s hard to be quiet so you can hear someone who’s not tangible, but I also think God knows you well enough to meet you where you are, just as he created you! Hell talk loud enough for you to hear him. Or, he can do what he has to do with me sometimes and talk to you in the bathroom when you have the least distractions! 😀