May 31, 2026 Devo

This verse really challenged me today. I have to confess that I’m not always a good listener. If someone’s trying to talk to me while I’m doing something else, I don’t always hear what they’re saying, even if I’m nodding my head as if I am. The problem for me is that I don’t multitask well. I tend to lock my attention on one thing and tune out everything else. My wife, on the other hand, can be doing six different things and seems to be able to focus 1/6 of her brain on each one. I guess I just don’t have enough brain to go around to do that.
That’s why the first part of our verse hit me so hard. “Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life.” When I come to God with a distracted mind or with only a half-open heart, I’m not hearing all of what He has to say. And the stuff God has to say is REALLY important! The stuff He wants to share with us, point out to us, or have us spend some time with is stuff that brings us LIFE! It may be a promise that we really need to hear for the moment that we’re in. It may be the warning that we need for what we may be facing in the days or weeks ahead. It may be the correction that we need to receive to adjust an attitude or a behavior that’s not in line with His Character. It may be a person that He wants to lay on our heart to touch with a word of encouragement or comfort. If I miss THAT STUFF, I miss a LOT!
Process this with me today. What causes YOU to come to God with ears that are only half-open to Him? Is it when you are anxious or afraid? Is it when you’re busy and running at a hectic pace? Is it when you’re frustrated or angry with someone and you’re struggling to shift your mind from them to Him? Is it when you’re feeling a bit convicted, because you know there’s some stuff in your life that God’s not pleased with? Is it when you try to squeeze God into a busy or noisy time in your day when you’re surrounded by a bunch of distractions? All of these and more can steal an important moment that we may need with God. What’s really crazy is that these are the times we MOST need to hear from God!
I took a walk today in the woods. No phone, no people, no cars, no noise. Just me and God. And you know what? Not only could I express the deepest concerns of my heart without fear that someone else might hear, I was able to LISTEN. God confirmed His love for me. God confirmed His presence with me. God reminded me that I was His Beloved Child—flaws and all. As I shared some challenges, God gave me some scriptures and let me know that it was going to be okay. God has some AMAZING things to say. All we have to do is position ourselves to LISTEN. That’s God’s Word for you today.