What Does the Bible Say about Listening?
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Many believe that listening is simply lending an ear, but what does the Bible say about listening?
After 30 years of marriage, I can attest to the fact that there is an art to listening. I recently asked my husband a question that required more than a few seconds to explain and then waited silently for a response. One glance in his direction was all it took to know that the only words he’d heard were those in the follow-up question, “Did you hear me?” He nodded yes, so for fun, I asked him to repeat the question back to me. He smiled, and we both burst into laughter, knowing he had heard a string of words but didn’t comprehend them.
And that’s the difference between hearing and listening. Listening goes a step beyond the physical act of hearing. When someone listens, they engage not only their ears but also their heart.
What Bible Verses Talk about Listening?
First, let’s look at the Bible verses that talk about listening regarding how God wants us to listen to Him.
In Deuteronomy 6:4-9, it’s the first word in this ancient prayer that sets the tone for the remaining verses in the passage, as well as sheds light on what it means to listen to God:
Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Moses grabs the attention of the rebellious Israelites by starting with the Hebrew word for “listen,” Shema. This word means to listen, but it’s also connected to the word obey, as seen in the above verse.
To listen to God means to engage the heart and not simply the head. It’s to listen to the point of obedience.
How Does God Listen to Us?
Growing up in the Bible Belt, I often imagined God leaning over the clouds with a heavy stick, just waiting to clobber me if I stepped out of line. I had an incorrect view of God, believing He was distant, disinterested, and disconnected.
Eventually, when I came to salvation in Christ and began studying God’s Word for myself, I discovered how intimately involved He is in our lives. Psalm 139:1-4 says that God knows when we sit, when we rise, and that He is familiar with all our ways.
God knows us. He is for us, and He truly listens. Sometimes it’s hard for us to believe that the God who set the world into existence is the same God who listens to us. Perhaps it’s because we expect God to listen to us the same way we listen to others, which is likely far from perfect. For example, I’m prone to start thinking of a response while the person is still talking or tuning out if too many squirrels are chased off-topic.
But the Bible says God is an attentive, engaged listener.
“O LORD, you have heard the desires of the humble; You will strengthen their heart. You will incline Your ear.” (Psalm 10:17)
“He who planted the ear, does He not hear? He who formed the eye, does He not see?” (Psalm 94:9)
“The righteous cry, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.” (Psalm 34:17)
Why We Need to Believe God Listens
Micah 7:7 says, “But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.”
When we believe to our core that God listens and not simply hears us, life changes for the good. Like Micah, we watch expectantly to see God at work, confident that He hears our prayers and will respond in His ways and in His timing. This kind of expectancy strengthens and quiets the heart when circumstances attempt to hijack our prayers. It also sparks excitement to see God at work in our lives and in the lives of those we love.
One of my favorite stories in the Bible is found in 1 Kings 18, where Elijah calls the people in Israel, along with four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and four hundred prophets of Asherah, to Mount Carmel to put God’s power on display. They all agree that the god who answered by fire—he is God.
You know the story. Elijah tells the prophets to call on their god. They shouted from morning till noon, danced a jig or two around the altar, and finally cut themselves with swords and spears until they bled. No one was listening. The altar remained cold. Then Elijah stepped up, rebuilt the altar after their futile attempts destroyed it, doused the wood with four large jars of water, and poured them on the offering—three times. Even the trench dug around the altar was filled. With the drenched altar behind him, Elijah stepped forward in front of all the mockers (and the prophets he had just finished mocking).
Elijah prays:
“LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” (1 Kings 18:37)
God listened (1 Kings 18:38). Now, pause the story. Imagine how this monumental testimony of God’s power would’ve been vastly different had Elijah doubted God’s desire to listen to his prayer.
We need to believe that God listens⏤for our sake, as well as for others. When we don’t believe that He listens, especially when they’re not being answered as expected, we open ourselves up to listening to other voices that can lead us astray. And we will likely miss opportunities to display God’s love and power.
How Do We Better Listen to Other People?
Intentionality is the key. Every day, all day, we’re inundated with things to do, people to see, and places to be. Setting aside time to listen to someone rarely just happens. Here are some specific ways to prepare the heart, as well as the day, to become a good listener:
Start the day with a specific prayer. Before your day gets underway, ask the Holy Spirit to keep you alert for listening opportunities. If you’re struggling to be a good listener, ask for His help and watch expectantly to see how God answers your prayer.
Plan margin in your day. I’ve found a vertical calendar to be a helpful tool in blocking out cushions of time between appointments and to-dos. A margin of minutes becomes vital breathing room when God gives us opportunities to listen.
See interruptions as divine appointments. This is a hard one for me, but I’m learning to keep an “open hands” policy when it comes to my schedule. The desire to hit goals sometimes collides with the desire to remain flexible for the Holy Spirit’s promptings to lend a listening ear. A shift in perspective helps transform the way I move through my day.
Get creative. If you have a friend needing a sounding board or a less urgent listen-in, opt for calling them instead of listening to music or your favorite podcast. I’ve found it helpful to tell the friend at the beginning of the call how long it will be before I reach my destination. If we need more time, we’ll talk later that day. This heads-up helps the hang-up not to feel abrupt or unexpected.
Listen beyond the words. No one exemplified this more than Jesus. Throughout the New Testament, He listened to those who were hurting and needed healing. Sometimes He healed their bodies, but Jesus always sought to heal them spiritually as well.
Practice James 1:19. Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. It’s not easy, but it is possible with the Holy Spirit in control.
When we choose to listen to God and believe He is listening to us, our lives cultivate a harvest of opportunities to listen. And who knows? It may be the first time a person feels heard, not only by you, but also by God.
Further Reading:
8 Ways Listening Can Be a Ministry
The Benefits of Listening, Not Just Hearing
How Can We Stop, Listen and Obey God's Voice?
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Prostock-Studio
